# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 213
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4247 "2024-10-18T23:08:18Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Brandy? No, you need to use whiskey! A splash to disinfect the wound, a swig to anesthetize the patient, and a gulp to steady the doctor’s nerves! Lol, but it’s true. 🤪 But most whiskey doesnt have enough alcohol content to actually sterlize- [https://typeset.io/questions/why-cant-use-vodka-or-whisky-to-disinfect-open-wounds-240jicnem3](https://typeset.io/questions/why-cant-use-vodka-or-whisky-to-disinfect-open-wounds-240jicnem3) _Vodka or whisky cannot be used to disinfect open wounds because they do not have the necessary antimicrobial properties. Disinfectants are substances that inhibit the growth of microbes and kill bacteria, while alcohol-based hand disinfectants have been used for decades as a routine measure in Europe \[1\]. Vodka and whisky, on the other hand, do not have the same level of antimicrobial activity as alcohol-based disinfectants. Alcohol, specifically in concentrations above 60%, is effective in denaturing bacterial proteins and killing both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria \[2\]. Vodka and whisky do not contain the necessary concentration of alcohol to effectively kill bacteria and prevent infection in open wounds. Therefore, it is not recommended to use vodka or whisky as disinfectants for open wounds._ Mind you, it’d be better than water, unless that water was very hot. OTOH, they now say to NOT use alcohol on an open wound anyway. > **[Is Alcohol Good for Cleaning Wounds?](https://www.avacaremedical.com/blog/is-alcohol-good-for-cleaning-wounds.html)** > > There needs to be more clarity about using some wound care products. For example, our parents believed that using alcohol is good for wounds, but experts disagree. Using alcohol to clean wounds may be effective as it prevents germs, bacteria, and... * * * 1. Boyce 2. Talsma, Chenoweth ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4248 "2024-10-18T23:22:07Z")
If it lodged in his body, he could die of sepsis. IIRC, that’s what happened to Presidents Garfield and McKinley. Ironically, McKinley was shot at the World Exposition in Buffalo, NY, just a few yards away from an X-ray machine that could have helped doctors find and remove the bullet. They were afraid to use it, though. I seem to remember something similar happened with Garfield. In that case, the device was a kind of magnetometer, and it didn’t work well enough to find the bullet. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4249 "2024-10-18T23:48:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But most whiskey doesnt have enough alcohol content to actually sterlize- > [Why cant use vodka or whisky to disinfect open wounds? | 5 Answers from Research papers](https://typeset.io/questions/why-cant-use-vodka-or-whisky-to-disinfect-open-wounds-240jicnem3) > > > Vodka or whisky cannot be used to disinfect open wounds because they do not have the necessary antimicrobial properties. Disinfectants are substances that inhibit the growth of microbes and kill bacteria, while alcohol-based hand disinfectants have been used for decades as a routine measure in Europe. Vodka and whisky, on the other hand, do not have the same level of antimicrobial activity as alcohol-based disinfectants. Alcohol, specifically in concentrations above 60%, is effective in denaturing bacterial proteins and killing both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Vodka and whisky do not contain the necessary concentration of alcohol to effectively kill bacteria and prevent infection in open wounds. Therefore, it is not recommended to use vodka or whisky as disinfectants for open wounds. Clearly if shot you should always demand the good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4250 "2024-10-18T23:49:45Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I seem to remember something similar happened with Garfield. In that case, the device was a kind of magnetometer, and it didn’t work well enough to find the bullet. It worked well enough, but the doctors didn’t consider that Garfield was on a bed _with metal springs._ That threw all the reading off, making the machine worthless. If they’d moved him to a wood-framed cot, things would have been different. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4251 "2024-10-19T00:12:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The magic bullet thing in hollywood, where once they get the bullet out, everything is fine. 🤪 🙄 Lest someone find themselves shot in a cowboy movie, I need to point out that incredible healing won’t happen until the bullet is removed _and_ dropped with a _CLANK_ into a metal tray. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4252 "2024-10-19T00:23:40Z")
> [@digs](#): > > dropped with a _CLANK_ into a metal tray. That sound is what has the magical healing properties. No CLANK, no healing! `//i\\` ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4253 "2024-10-19T02:03:38Z")
That’s what happened during President Lincoln’s autopsy. After the surgeons removed the brain, they dug out the bullet with a probe and let it fall into a tray. A few years back, there was an “investigative” documentary on one of the History channels where the big mystery was whether or not the bullet had ever been recovered. I guess they hadn’t read the book I got for Christmas one year. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4254 "2024-10-19T18:54:02Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Lest someone find themselves shot in a cowboy movie, I need to point out that incredible healing won’t happen until the bullet is removed _and_ dropped with a _CLANK_ into a metal tray. So true, and i forgot that critical step. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4255 "2024-10-19T19:14:55Z")
There’s a similar one where somebody wanders into a completely dark and quiet place, the lights turn on and suddenly there’s dozens or hundreds of people there that somehow couldn’t be heard even though this isn’t a surprise party or ambush or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4256 "2024-10-20T19:46:18Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > If it lodged in his body, he could die of sepsis. IIRC, that’s what happened to Presidents Garfield and McKinley. > > Ironically, McKinley was shot at the World Exposition in Buffalo, NY, just a few yards away from an X-ray machine that could have helped doctors find and remove the bullet. They were afraid to use it, though. > > I seem to remember something similar happened with Garfield. In that case, the device was a kind of magnetometer, and it didn’t work well enough to find the bullet. It’s not so much the metal bullet as the organic material that the bullet brings in with it such as bits of clothing. Even worse is if the bullet puts a hole in your intestines. Very often in the real world bullets are left in the body because they don’t pose a danger. What is a problem is the path the bullet takes. I don’t have to list all the organs a bullet can perforate going through the abdomen. The show I saw and others make it seem if the bullet passes through all you have to do is put a bandage on the outside and everything is fine. That won’t help you if the bullet went through your liver. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4257 "2024-10-20T19:50:57Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > That’s what happened during President Lincoln’s autopsy. After the surgeons removed the brain, they dug out the bullet with a probe and let it fall into a tray. > > A few years back, there was an “investigative” documentary on one of the History channels where the big mystery was whether or not the bullet had ever been recovered. I guess they hadn’t read the book I got for Christmas one year. It’s in a museum. It doesn’t seem like it would be that much of an investigation. The National Museum for Health and Medicine to be exact. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4258 "2024-10-20T19:59:23Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > It’s not so much the metal bullet as the organic material that the bullet brings in with it such as bits of clothing. In the past, with black powder guns, there was also wadding, which indeed would cause an infection. But today, sometimes the Doctor will decide to just let the bullet stay there. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4259 "2024-10-20T20:21:06Z")
We don’t see a ton of gunshot wounds in Canada. But I have seen a bullet fragment embolize to the heart. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4260 "2024-10-20T20:32:46Z")
A stab to anywhere in the torso with a knitting needle fencing sword will immediately stop the heart, but a similar bullet wound, hydrostatic shock included, allows time for detailed instructions to be relayed to one’s sweetheart back home. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4261 "2024-10-20T20:40:49Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > If it lodged in his body, he could die of sepsis. IIRC, that’s what happened to Presidents Garfield and McKinley. Not precisely. Garfield did die of sepsis, not because of the shot, per se, but because stupid-assed American doctors didn’t believe in washing their hands when they went probing around inside with bare (shit covered) hands. American exceptionalism in action! Today, a bullet wound like Garfield’s would be treated as an out-patient procedure. As for Hollywood magic bullet, in the football game I am watching they mentioned a player that recently got shot in the chest, and he is playing today. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4262 "2024-10-21T02:26:24Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Garfield did die of sepsis, not because of the shot, per se, but because stupid-assed American doctors didn’t believe in washing their hands when they went probing around inside with bare (shit covered) hands. American exceptionalism in action! It wasnt “American exceptionalism”. Most doctors in Britain and around the world didnt accept the idea until after Garfield died. Yes, there were early adopters, but by and large they were ignored. > **[The little-known history of cleanliness and the forgotten pioneers of...](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9632745/)** > > Handwashing is a simple method for preventing the spread of pathogens. It is now common practice, but this was not always the case. Advocating for it often costed a doctor his career in the 1840s. Hospitals in the early 1800s had little idea of the... ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4263 "2024-10-23T23:33:26Z")
Ignacz Semelweisz is my hero. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4264 "2024-10-24T01:04:48Z")
Yep, Too bad just about everyone ignored him. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4265 "2024-10-24T01:21:37Z")
They didn’t just ignore him. They vilified him. A\*\*holes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4266 "2024-10-24T01:25:57Z")
I cant argue with you there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=212) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=214)