The 49-person Russian shower gel when drinking alcohol instead

The mixture of ethanol and methanol on the bottle of shower gel made many people use it to replace alcohol and poisoning.

The city of Irkutsk, Russia declared a state of emergency on December 19 after 49 people died, 15 others were hospitalized for emergency drinking of a milk bath. According to Live Science, the cause of this situation is the confusion between the two ethanol and methanol substances on the bottle of shower gel.

Many Russians poisoned after drinking milk instead of alcohol.(Artwork: Red Frax News 24/7).

Ethanol is included in the shower gel composition, so many Russians consider it a cheap product instead of vodka. However, according to authorities, the shower gel actually contains methanol , an ingredient in antifreeze.

When humans use methanol, the body first transforms it into formaldehyde , then into formic acid , very toxic to cells. Formic acid decomposes slowly, so it has the ability to accumulate in the body.

Most alcoholic beverages contain a small amount of methanol at a safe level. However, if not properly distilled, the ratio of methanol in alcohol may increase. Also, because methanol is colorless and smells like alcohol, some manufacturers intentionally add it to illegal alcoholic drinks to increase concentration.

According to the US Institute of Health, methanol poisoning can cause nausea, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, blindness and coma. One tablespoon of methanol is about 15 ml enough to make one person die.

Fomepizole and ethanol can be antidotes for methanol. However, the patient's ability to recover depends on the amount of methanol absorbed and the time they are taken to the hospital. In addition, most survivors will be blind.