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LAN_403

HV Enthusiast

Tue Apr 08 2008, 11:32AM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

BjÃ¸rn BÃ¦verfjord wrote ...

Jokes aside, its still probably kills more people annually than any other chemical substance.

How do we define "kills" in this case?

For example the number deaths caused by H2O is insignificnant compared to the number of deaths caused by C2H6O which in some places is the most common cause of death. There are also other chemicals that each kills more people than H2O.

Perhaps in the past few decades when those other chemicals were actually available, but if you look at it from a historical perpective taking into account all of human history, water is definitely the most dangerous chemical overall.

Steve Conner

Tue Apr 08 2008, 12:13PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

I heard the Navy have all sorts of secret research programs involving DHMO, too. I hope Michael Moore never finds out.

BTW, in Glasgow at least, you're far more likely to drown in C2H6O!

Bjørn

Tue Apr 08 2008, 12:45PM

Registered Member #27 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 02:20AM
Location: Hyperborea
Posts: 2058

Perhaps in the past few decades when those other chemicals were actually available, but if you look at it from a historical perpective taking into account all of human history,

I am not completely convinced since 7% of all people that has ever lived is alive today and gulping chemicals so whatever happens this year alone can outweigh tens of thousands of the early years. When we go back in time we find that the population drops very fast. If we look at alcohol I would say that 98% of all people that ever lived had access to it.

Most of the other chemicals seems to be so new that they would not be in contention until a few more years have passed.

HV Enthusiast

Tue Apr 08 2008, 03:30PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

BjÃ¸rn BÃ¦verfjord wrote ...

Perhaps in the past few decades when those other chemicals were actually available, but if you look at it from a historical perpective taking into account all of human history,

Well, don't forget the great flood of Noah. Just think how many people died then!

Backyard Skunkworks

Sat Apr 12 2008, 04:05AM

Registered Member #1262 Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451

C2H6O is also Dimethyl ether, although the configuration is different:
CH3-O-CH3, unlike CH3-CH2-OH for Ethyl alcohol.

I doubt too many people die of Dimethyl ether poisoning each year, so it does pay to be specific.

And some people have tried to make cocktails using Isopropyl alcohol, I've run across this while doing research for my endothemics project. Someone is gonna get a darwin award in chemistry unless they figure out that just because something has "Alcohol" in the name doesnt mean you can "safely" get drunk off it without dying.

Conundrum

Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:44PM

Registered Member #96 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062

Grr. That might explain why the Health & Safety Jackboots have made it nerly impossible to get hold of over here. FFS it has legitimate uses just like a lot of everyday chemicals (Bleach comes to mind) and is far less harmful unless you are really, really stupid.

-A

#include "$0.02.h"

Bored Chemist

Sat Apr 12 2008, 01:05PM

Registered Member #193 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 07:04AM
Location: sheffield
Posts: 1022

Last time I looke Health and Safety hadn't done anything about my access to DHMO, alcohol (ethyl or isopropyl ) or dimethyl ether.
I can get any of them in a local supermarket so I can't help wondering what you are on about.

Backyard Skunkworks

Sat Apr 12 2008, 05:45PM

Registered Member #1262 Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451

Well I make my own HTH (High-test hypochlorite, you know uber strong bleach), sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid using the chloralkali process on saltwater, if they ever ban saltwater then I'll just strole down to the beach.

I can't get much of any of those chemicals yet, but I'm planning a larger electrolysis machine that will churn out a few ounces a day.

You can make Isopropyl alcohol by bubbling Propylene (Propene) through water, although Propene is much more hazardous (-108C flash point) then IPA so I doubt you could get access to it. I have seen rail road tankers carrying around 11,000 gallons of it, for plastics use I'd guess...

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