Liquid nitrogen cocktail

Locutus

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Jun 18, 2007
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Doing Darwin shots eh...sounds like another excellent idea.



Teenager has stomach removed to save her life after drinking lethal liquid nitrogen cocktail



  • Gaby Scanlan had been drinking at a bar in Lancaster to celebrate her 18th birthday when she was left feeling breathless
  • She was taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary where she diagnosed with a perforated stomach
  • Liquid nitrogen oxide is added to a cocktail to chill and create a signature nitrogen smoke effect
  • Lancashire Police: Bar has now stopped serving cocktail


more


Teenager has stomach removed to save her life after drinking trendy liquid nitrogen cocktail | Mail Online
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
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Wow, just wow! Normally I'd always advocate the personal responsibility angle, but I don't see an 18 year old questioning the ingredients served to her in a licensed establishment, at least not to the point of being that dangerous. Maybe it's just me, but I can see someone that young being that trusting in that situation. I feel bad for the girl. And that bar is going to pay big time for this.
 

tay

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May 20, 2012
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I'm not going to classify this as a Darwin case for the victim but more for the bar.

What are they doing using something that could harm someone?

We all trust that when we buy something, particularly something to consumme that it is safe to do so and it is legal to use LN.

I, was not aware that they used LN for food or drinks and to tell you the truth, I may not have asked why my drink was 'smoking' or have questioned the use of LN as I would have, to my detriment, assumed it was okay to drink.



Girl, 18, seriously ill after drinking liquid nitrogen cocktail | Granada - ITV News



Now this guy, who was a physics student, knew better but took a chance..............


2000 Personal Account: One Cool Dude
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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Doing Darwin shots eh...sounds like another excellent idea.



Teenager has stomach removed to save her life after drinking lethal liquid nitrogen cocktail



  • Gaby Scanlan had been drinking at a bar in Lancaster to celebrate her 18th birthday when she was left feeling breathless
  • She was taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary where she diagnosed with a perforated stomach
  • Liquid nitrogen oxide is added to a cocktail to chill and create a signature nitrogen smoke effect
  • Lancashire Police: Bar has now stopped serving cocktail

more


Teenager has stomach removed to save her life after drinking trendy liquid nitrogen cocktail | Mail Online

Seems like the bar is responsible here. I'm a teetotaller myself, but even if I were a drinker, I'd trust the bar owner not to put anything that dangerous in my cocktail.

No darwin award here; most drinkers would likely have trusted the bar owner on this.

Wow, just wow! Normally I'd always advocate the personal responsibility angle, but I don't see an 18 year old questioning the ingredients served to her in a licensed establishment, at least not to the point of being that dangerous. Maybe it's just me, but I can see someone that young being that trusting in that situation. I feel bad for the girl. And that bar is going to pay big time for this.

That young? Most people of any age, including I, would have trusted such an establishment. Like I said, no Darwin Award here. There was nothing stupid about trusting in such a licensed establishment.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
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That young? Most people of any age, including I, would have trusted such an establishment. Like I said, no Darwin Award here. There was nothing stupid about trusting in such a licensed establishment.

If I was told a drink being served to me had LN in it, I would, at minimum, seriously question ingesting it as I've seen what it can do. I'm not a scientist by any stretch of the imagination but I do have peripheral awareness of what liquid nitrogen is and what it can do.

That aside, I will agree that there is nothing stupid about trusting a licensed establishment serving you something, but I would expect a reasonably knowledgeable and intelligent adult to have second thoughts. Not that I would blame them in the end either, but I would still expect them to question it.

I liken this to that poisonous fish that's served as a delicacy, you need to be an informed consumer but, due to the extremely toxic nature of the dish, the preparer owes you a clear and definitive warning. Personally, I don't get why anyone would risk their life for a meal, but each to their own.
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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But Tay, this is if you know there is liquid nitrogen in there. Seeing the smoke might make one suspicious, but he could also assume that the ownever would not be so stupid as to put liquid nitrogen in there and that it's probably something else, undoubtedly no more dangerous than the alcohol itself.

As for the blowfish, I would trust that the chef is licensed and takes his job seriously.
 

taxslave

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Nov 25, 2008
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I'm not going to classify this as a Darwin case for the victim but more for the bar.

What are they doing using something that could harm someone?

We all trust that when we buy something, particularly something to consumme that it is safe to do so and it is legal to use LN.

I, was not aware that they used LN for food or drinks and to tell you the truth, I may not have asked why my drink was 'smoking' or have questioned the use of LN as I would have, to my detriment, assumed it was okay to drink.



Girl, 18, seriously ill after drinking liquid nitrogen cocktail | Granada - ITV News



Now this guy, who was a physics student, knew better but took a chance..............


2000 Personal Account: One Cool Dude

They put alcohol in the drinks, not exactly the best thing for you. Also some people eat at rotten ronnies which is not healthy either.
 

The Old Medic

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May 16, 2010
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I sincerely hope she sues the bar, and its owners for everything that they possess. This was totally irresponsible on the part of the bar!
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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They put alcohol in the drinks, not exactly the best thing for you. Also some people eat at rotten ronnies which is not healthy either.

Right. But last i checked most bars and McD's don't add liquid nitrogen as an ingredient.
 

taxslave

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Nov 25, 2008
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Right. But last i checked most bars and McD's don't add liquid nitrogen as an ingredient.

True, they have far deadlier substances in what passes for food.

I was just looking in the Canutec and NIOSH manuals and couldn't find the boiling point for LN. Best I could find is Nitrogen Dioxide. Boils at 70F. All the various nitrogen compounds ' say to avoid inhalation or ingestion and seek medical treatment immediately. Can't imagine why anyone would put that in a drink.
 

TenPenny

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Jun 9, 2004
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Similar to the theatrical effects of using fog machines, they now warn patrons that this will happen, because there have been cases where people with breathing problems don't get enough oxygen when the fog machines are on too long.
 

Tonington

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Oct 27, 2006
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True, they have far deadlier substances in what passes for food.

I was just looking in the Canutec and NIOSH manuals and couldn't find the boiling point for LN. Best I could find is Nitrogen Dioxide. Boils at 70F. All the various nitrogen compounds ' say to avoid inhalation or ingestion and seek medical treatment immediately. Can't imagine why anyone would put that in a drink.

It boils at -320.4°F or -195.8°C, at one atmosphere of pressure. The danger with inhalation is that nitrogen will displace oxygen. We have to wear an oxygen monitor at work when we dispense the liquid nitrogen from the pressurized tanks into our portables dewars.

The danger with ingesting...well we use the liquid nitrogen in my lab to flash freeze tissue samples. It's particularly useful because the freezing takes place so quickly, that the water in tissues won't form large crystals that can damage the tissue.

Putting this stuff in a drink is reckless and stupid.
 

PoliticalNick

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Mar 8, 2011
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I have seen firsthand what LN can do. I have seen a 5 second spray take a hardened steel bolt on a wellhead and make it snap with a gentle tap from a ball-peen hammer. I have also seen someone (possibly a Darwin candidate in the future) put his gloved hand over a leaking pipe full of LN. He now has only 2 fingers and half a thumb. When they pump it into the wells everyone is required to be at least 25 meters away. It is not friendly to humans.
 

Tonington

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Oct 27, 2006
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Some tubes sold as cryo-vials shouldn't actually be placed in the liquid phase because when the tubes are immersed in the liquid phase, the nitrogen will fill the small space between the threads on the tube and cap. Take your samples out and place them on the counter, and then the boiling gas can turn a small 1.5 mL tube into a bullet.

It's not a substance that should be used by amateurs! I expect the bar that sold these drinks will be out of business shortly.
 

PoliticalNick

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Mar 8, 2011
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Some tubes sold as cryo-vials shouldn't actually be placed in the liquid phase because when the tubes are immersed in the liquid phase, the nitrogen will fill the small space between the threads on the tube and cap. Take your samples out and place them on the counter, and then the boiling gas can turn a small 1.5 mL tube into a bullet.

It's not a substance that should be used by amateurs! I expect the bar that sold these drinks will be out of business shortly.

A 1.5ml bullet....this sounds like a job for Mythbusters! :lol:
 

relic

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Nov 29, 2009
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I used to spend a lot of time in bars,and there is no limit to the stupid things people will do.My favorite was watching show offs order those flaming drinks,the name escapes me at the moment,and then either watch the pretty flames,while the rim of the glass gets hot enough to peal the skin off their lips,or down it while it was still burning.Good times.
 

taxslave

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Nov 25, 2008
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I used to spend a lot of time in bars,and there is no limit to the stupid things people will do.My favorite was watching show offs order those flaming drinks,the name escapes me at the moment,and then either watch the pretty flames,while the rim of the glass gets hot enough to peal the skin off their lips,or down it while it was still burning.Good times.

We called them FLAMING A$$HOLES.