I had a debate with someone over the news story of a woman dying from drinking too much water. Person i was debating with said, well you can die from a teaspoon of water. My question to him was how?
2007-01-14 05:34:00 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
It would be quite difficult to die from a teaspoon of water.
Even if the teaspoon of water was inhaled, it wouldn't be deadly. Aspiration of a teaspoon of water (5 cc, neutral pH) would make you cough a bit, but would have no long-lasting ill effects. It generally takes a volume of 30cc and/or a high or low pH (such as would be found with lye or stomach acid) to create an aspiration pnuemonitis that would be deadly.
Injecting 5cc of water would also not be deadly, assuming the water was not contaminated (but then it would be the contaminant, not the water that did the killing). Large amounts of water would lead to red blood cell destruction (hemolysis), but 5 cc isn't enough to do that. It would be diluted in the blood stream and not cause a problem.
In fact, pretty much any place that you inject 5 cc of water wouldn't be deadly. I can think of some places that would be painful or debilitating, but not deadly.
I think the burden of proof lies with your debate partner. I'm with you on this one.
2007-01-14 05:44:18 · answer #1 · answered by Pangolin 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is true that someone can die from consuming too much water in a short period of time. The only two ways that I can think of for a person to die from a teaspoon of water: One would be if they were unconscious and they aspirated the water into their lungs, developed pneumonia, and later died. Another might be if the person had rabies and if they took a sip of water, the throat muscles spasmed and they choked to death that way.
2007-01-14 13:41:29 · answer #2 · answered by e3456 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If there is poison or bacteria in a teaspoon of water, a person can die from it. A person cannot die from taking in just a teaspoon of water, a person who drinks lots of water in a short period of time can die from it. Likely, your body will feel sick if you are drinking too much water.
2007-01-14 13:41:07 · answer #3 · answered by FlowersinWinter 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, if you closed your mouth shut tight and put your nose to the teaspoon of water, you could possibly drown.
But i'm pretty sure you won't die from just drinking a teaspoon of water.
2007-01-14 13:38:46 · answer #4 · answered by Mark 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
umm whoever said that is kinda wrong because u cannot die from trinkin a teaspoon of water which is a very very small amount to what the body needs,u can die by drinking a large amount of water, like chugging it in a small amount of time, and u can also die of dehidration, when u dont drink water or very very little amounts of it over a amount of time ( 3 days)
2007-01-14 13:50:53 · answer #5 · answered by chicantabonita94 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes
2007-01-14 13:47:04 · answer #6 · answered by lauren w 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yes..water can "go down the wrong way" and get into the lungs causing you to "drown". It only takes a little bit
2007-01-14 13:38:49 · answer #7 · answered by thelanigiro 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes if their sniffing it up their nose, going down into the windpipe, causing them to drown
2007-01-14 13:40:38 · answer #8 · answered by Moose 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes
2007-01-14 13:37:09 · answer #9 · answered by answers35793 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋