college hazing

Tony35NYC · Feb 18, 2005

did anyone hear about the college hazing where the boy died from basically drowning to death from the inside. His frat brothers made him drink 5 gallons of water in a row causing the sodium levels in his body diffuse enough that he had a heart attack. I was shocked when i heard this story. Not only is it horrific, but i didnt even know that it was possible!!

Sounds like a version of an urban legend I heard somewhere. Where did it happen?

tmiller027 · Feb 18, 2005

did anyone hear about the college hazing where the boy died from basically drowning to death from the inside. His frat brothers made him drink 5 gallons of water in a row causing the sodium levels in his body diffuse enough that he had a heart attack. I was shocked when i heard this story. Not only is it horrific, but i didnt even know that it was possible!!

When I was in the Marines, our drill instructors made two guys drink several canteens of water. Each canteen is 1 qt, and they had to drink like 7 or 8 of them, but they just started throwing up after awhile, so I dont see how this could really happen.

NurseTab · Feb 18, 2005

I agree that one would probably puke prior to desalination. I went to www.snopes.com (my favorite urban ledgend website) and couldn't find anything about it. There was an interesting myth about drinking too much Coke, however.

Think before you drink Coke or Pepsi or any another soft drink. Have you ever thought what you drink when you drink an aerated drink? You gulp down carbon dioxide, something that nobody in the world would advise you to do.

Two months ago, there was a competition in Delhi University "Who can drink the most Coke?" The winner drank 8 bottles and died on the spot because too much carbon dioxide in the blood and not enough oxygen. From then on, the principal banned all soft drinks from the university canteen.

This was FALSE by the way.

:chuckle

allnurses Guide · Feb 18, 2005

It happened at Chico State, near where I live. It did happen.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/4158151/detail.html

http://californiaaggie.ucdavis.edu/article/?id=7488

steph

bruinlaura · Feb 18, 2005

did anyone hear about the college hazing where the boy died from basically drowning to death from the inside. His frat brothers made him drink 5 gallons of water in a row causing the sodium levels in his body diffuse enough that he had a heart attack. I was shocked when i heard this story. Not only is it horrific, but i didnt even know that it was possible!!

i remember water intoxication being discussed briefly in my physiology class. it was a year ago so i don't remember all the details except that ALOC and other symptoms of heat shock are involved with the exception of increase in body temp. IV saline is the treatment.

zenman · Feb 18, 2005

i remember water intoxication being discussed briefly in my physiology class.

I've seen a few cases involving psych patients.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Feb 18, 2005

Ive seen water intoxication. It does happen. Yes most of the time it involves psycological issues. A type of OCD.

NurseTab · Feb 18, 2005

It happened at Chico State, near where I live. It did happen.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/4158151/detail.html
http://californiaaggie.ucdavis.edu/article/?id=7488
steph

Wow. Here I was making jokes and a kid was murdered. Now I vaguely remember hearing the phrase "water intoxication." Why do kids need to be such idiots?

fotografe · Feb 18, 2005

Woman died a few years back after running the Boston Marathon from water intoxication because she loaded up on too much water before running. They give big warnings about it now.

I agree that one would probably puke prior to desalination. I went to www.snopes.com (my favorite urban ledgend website) and couldn't find anything about it. There was an interesting myth about drinking too much Coke, however.
Think before you drink Coke or Pepsi or any another soft drink. Have you ever thought what you drink when you drink an aerated drink? You gulp down carbon dioxide, something that nobody in the world would advise you to do.

Two months ago, there was a competition in Delhi University "Who can drink the most Coke?" The winner drank 8 bottles and died on the spot because too much carbon dioxide in the blood and not enough oxygen. From then on, the principal banned all soft drinks from the university canteen.

This was FALSE by the way.
:chuckle

FZ1Tom · Feb 18, 2005

I'm saddened by it, though not suprised either. Back in college (I never joined a frat, and it wasn't the end of the world either) I did my fair share of drinking games........and let me tell you, better to drink too much beer than too much water! Once, we played spades...the losers drank a liter of water. After a few rounds people became notoriously unwilling to continue playing. :chuckle we never had any medical problems - just trips to the bathroom ever 15 minutes for the next 3 days.

I've dealt with psychotic individuals who drink too much water - difficult. The psychological angle is VERY understandable. I've nearly killed myself due to severe dehydration twice, and once you've done that you feel pretty strongly compelled to drink more fluids even if its really too much.

Tom