Latest news with #methanolpoisoning
South China Morning Post
16 hours ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
British survivor of Laos methanol poisoning speaks out after watching friend die
British national Bethany Clarke still remembers that day in Vang Vieng, Laos – tubing down the river with friends, followed by a sunset happy hour at the Nana Backpackers Hostel. It had all the hallmarks of a classic backpacker afternoon. The vodka and whisky shots were free. The cost would come later. It was November 12, 2024. The next morning, Clarke and her two companions – childhood friend Simone White and a male friend – set out early for a kayaking trip they had planned the day before. But instead of excitement, Clarke felt unusually drained. 'I just felt sick and we were lying flat on our backs in the kayaks looking at the sky. My brain wasn't functioning. I didn't feel like it was a hangover, but I couldn't work out why. It didn't make sense,' Clarke told This Week in Asia. It was the beginning of a nightmare that would end in a hospital bed in Vientiane, with Clarke watching her best friend die from methanol poisoning – a preventable tragedy that, experts say, continues to result from periodic outbreaks of contaminated alcohol across Southeast Asia and claims hundreds of lives worldwide each year. Shots being served at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng on November 12, last year. Photo: Facebook/Bethany Clarke White, a 28-year-old lawyer from the UK , had also felt unwell that morning. Still groggy and confused, the group endured a torturous bus ride to the Laotian capital, first to visit a medical clinic before being referred to a larger hospital, as White's condition quickly deteriorated.
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Outrage as backpackers hostel where Aussie teens died plans to reopen: 'They should be banned'
The survivor of a lethal suspected methanol poisoning at a Laos hostel, which killed two Melbourne teenage girls, has slammed plans for the venue to reopen. Best friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles were staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng when they became sick after drinking at the bar in November. The 19-year-olds were among six tourists who died after suffering from suspected methanol poisoning. The Herald Sun published photos on Saturday that suggested the venue, which has been closed since the incident, was planning to reopen. The images, taken this week, showed new paintwork and repairs, including a green trim on the windows of the upper floors. There is a banner at the entrance which reads 'VangVieng Central Backpackers Hostel', implying there has been a change of name. British 28-year-old Bethany Clarke survived the alleged poisoning which killed her friend Simone White. She has shared her outrage that the hostel could reopen, saying: 'This site should be a memorial, I don't want to see anyone staying there.' Photos of the Nana Backpackers Hostel from this week suggest it has been rebranded, with new paintwork and a change of name 'Vang Vieng Central Backpackers Hostel' Advertisements for the newly-named hostel have appeared on the travel sites TripAdvisor and Agoda. Among the photos are images showing the same bar where the tragic incident occurred, and the pool can be seen in the gallery of one listing. 'It's completely unbelievable, they shouldn't be allowed to advertise on TripAdvisor and Agoda, they should be banned,' Ms Clarke said. 'When you go on to the site Vang Vieng Central Backpackers you can see the pool at Nanas, so it appears they are linked.' There are currently no available dates listed on the advertisements of either travel website. Asked about a potential reopening, a spokesperson for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were working to avoid repeat incidents. 'The Australian Government will continue to do everything possible to assist Holly and Bianca's families, and to reduce the risks of a tragedy like this happening again,' the spokesperson said. 'Our officials remain engaged with Laos authorities to reinforce our expectations for a transparent and thorough investigation.' Adverts on travel websites have included photos of the hostel bar where the suspected methanol poisoning occurred, but with the new name for the venue One TripAdvisor gallery photo for Vang Vieng Central Backpackers Hostel clearly shows the pool of Nanas Backpackers The Laos Government said it would conduct an investigation into the cause of the Novemeber incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. Danish friends Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Sorensen, 21, and American James Hutson, 57, also died in the same incident. Eight men aged between 23 and 47 were taken into custody following arrests by police on November 25 as part of an investigation into the suspected poisonings. Among those arrested by Vang Vieng police were general staff and managers. There was no suggestion at the time that those detained were responsible for the tourists' deaths. A further five people, who were linked to the Tiger distillery, including the manufacturer of the drinks served, were also taken in for questioning. In February, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told federal parliament that authorities in Laos declined the offer of assistance from Australian Federal Police in its investigation of the incident. He vowed that Australian authorities wouldn't drop the matter. 'I would want to assure the families of Bianca and Holly that we remain in contact with the Laos authorities and that the offer of assistance is being consistently offered,' he said. The teens' families said in a joint statement they were 'extremely disappointed' by the lack of updates. 'As the Laos government rejects any support from the AFP our confidence in accountability and justice for everyone affected remains unanswered,' it said.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Free booze killed our pal & sister… people are bottling this poison for tourists and we need to flag the warning signs
LIFTING her drink, Bethany Clarke clinked glasses with her best friend Simone White and they each took a swig. The vodka and lemonade, which the girls had been given for free at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, tasted weak, but they assumed it had been watered down. 6 6 The childhood friends, from Orpington, Kent, enjoyed five more freebie drinks during the hostel's happy hour, blissfully unaware that within 24 hours, they would both be critically ill. Nine days later, on November 21 last year, 28-year-old Simone died in hospital. She was one of six tourists to lose their lives following a methanol poisoning. 'It's hard to put into words how horrendous it was,' says Bethany, a podiatrist who now lives in Brisbane. 'It was the worst period of my life. I could not understand how we'd gone from having a few drinks in a bar together, to this." Along with Simone, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19 and from Australia, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, from Denmark, and American James Louis Hutson, 57, also lost their lives. This shocking case is just one of a number of methanol poisoning incidents in popular backpacker destinations, such as Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam, in recent months. The issue mainly affects poorer countries, where law enforcement is under-resourced and there are few regulations around food and alcohol standards. In Southeast Asia, there is also an industry of home-brewed alcohol, which can lead to accidental poisonings. Experts have warned that the true scope of the problem is unknown. Fiona Chuah, methanol poisoning initiative team lead at Doctors Without Borders, says: 'Without a comprehensive national and international surveillance and reporting system, the prevalence is likely under reported. 'Many cases go unrecognised, because symptoms – which often appear 12 to 24 hours after ingestion – such as headache, nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances, are often mistaken for hangovers, food poisoning or other illnesses, and this then delays critical treatment.' Bethany and Simone met at primary school and had previously travelled together to countries including Thailand and China, before planning their two-and-a-half-week trip for November 2024. Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, dies in 'methanol-laced alcohol poisoning' that left 4 others dead in backpacking hotspot They met up in Phnom Penh in Cambodia, before arriving in Vang Vieng in Laos on November 11. They spent the next day 'tubing' – a bar crawl using inflatables along a river – before joining a friend, Daniel*, for free vodka shots at the hostel, which they mixed with Sprite. 'There was a nice vibe,' Bethany recalls. 'We had been drinking in random bars in places like Bali and Thailand before and not seen it as a risk.' After around two hours, the trio left, feeling 'not particularly drunk'. The next morning, they joined a kayaking excursion. 'We all felt a bit off, but fine,' Bethany says. 'It just seemed like a bad hangover.' That night, the trio boarded a minibus to make the two-hour journey to Laos' capital, Vientiane, during which Simone was sick and Bethany fainted. The driver dropped them at a public hospital, where medics wrongly suspected food poisoning or drug use and gave them IV fluids via a drip. Soon after, Simone's condition worsened. The group were transferred to a private hospital where, at around 11.30pm – 26 hours after drinking the shots – tests showed methanol poisoning. 'I was drifting in and out of consciousness, but also trying to advocate for Simone and keep an eye on all our possessions,' Bethany recalls. 'I still hoped it would all be OK. 'I even thought we might be able to carry on with the holiday.' The next day, Bethany and Daniel, whose condition had stabilised, were moved to another ward and told that Simone was sedated but also improving. Bethany contacted her friend's mum Sue, 61, and explained Simone was feeling a bit better. In the meantime, Bethany's worried family offered to travel out to be with her, but she refused. 'I had no idea how long we would be in hospital, or that Simone wouldn't survive,' she says. Later, as Sue was preparing to fly 16 hours from the UK, Bethany had to contact her again, as Simone had deteriorated and needed consent for brain surgery. Sue arrived in Laos just ahead of the operation, but sadly it was unsuccessful. Six days later, her life support was switched off. 'I was in denial. None of us could believe what had happened,' says Bethany, who flew back to the UK with Sue and Daniel that same evening. Simone was repatriated days later, and her funeral was held in December. 'Afterwards, I had to keep talking about what had happened as I tried to understand it. I wondered if it had been me who had picked up the 'bad' drinks and given them to Simone,' says Bethany. 'I'm smaller than her and I have epilepsy, so how did I come out of it OK? 'It was a lot for my family to cope with, too. 'For them, I nearly died as well.' DEADLY HOMEBREW Methanol can affect people differently, depending on the mix of the drink and how an individual metabolises it, explains Dr Knut Erik Hovda, technical consultant at the Methanol Poisoning Institute (MPi), a Doctors Without Borders initiative. 'It is not the methanol itself that is toxic, but the metabolite – the end product. Depending on the exact amount of methanol in the drink, as well as how much regular alcohol – which acts as an antidote – is present, people may respond differently,' he says. After news of the first two deaths – those of Bianca and Australian Holly Bowles – broke, the manager of Nana Backpacker Hostel, Duong Duc Toan, confirmed the girls had drunk free shots there, but denied that his vodka made them sick, insisting it was bought from legitimate sellers. Eight staff members were arrested in November, and as of last month, the hostel remains closed. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been reported. 6 6 The mass deaths, which attracted global headlines, brought back painful memories for Measha Rudge, whose sister Cheznye Emmons, 23, died in Indonesia in 2013 in similar circumstances. 'So many have died' Measha, 38, has been raising awareness about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol through her Save A Life campaign in memory of beautician Cheznye. 'It's heartbreaking that so many have died since Chez,' says Measha, a teacher from Shoebury, Essex. Cheznye was on a six-month trip around Southeast Asia with boyfriend Joe Cook when she drank shop-bought 'gin' – which came in a sealed bottle – in Sumatra. After she became sick and lost her vision, medics diagnosed her with methanol poisoning and put her in an induced coma, but she passed away five days later. 'It was horrendous,' Measha says. 'Chez was my best friend. 'She always had a smile on her face, always tried to make people happy.' In late 2013, Measha's dad Brenton travelled to Sumatra with the BBC's Fake Britain and discovered that shops were still selling bootleg gin at a low cost. 'In Indonesia, the alcohol tax is really high, so some locals brew it themselves,' Measha says. 'You would believe the packaging is real and it's not. 'People are just bottling up this crap, and nobody is ever held to account.' In the aftermath of Cheznye's death, Measha and her family liaised with the UK government about an awareness campaign. They produced posters to be shared in NHS clinics for people getting vaccinations before travelling to Southeast Asia, and had warnings added to the FCDO website for countries where consuming counterfeit alcohol is a risk. Counterfeit cocktails But over the years, interest has waned. Measha says most clinics declined to display the posters, and warnings are not prominent enough for tourists. 'You have young people fresh out of school or university who are going to go to Southeast Asia to enjoy themselves. And none of them are thinking they shouldn't take free or cheap drinks. We need to make the risks clear.' This was the case for Ashley King, who was 18 when she went blind after drinking a counterfeit cocktail during a night out in Kuta, Bali, in March 2011. She began feeling 'disoriented and nauseous' the following evening, after taking a flight to New Zealand and arriving at her hostel in Christchurch. The next morning, she noticed the lighting was 'dim' in her room and, soon after, she found herself struggling to breathe. 'Someone from the hostel took me to a clinic. By the time I arrived, I couldn't see the nurse's fingers,' Ashley, now 32, remembers. She was rushed to hospital, where tests showed she had methanol poisoning. 'They told my family to get on the first flight out, because they thought I might not make it,' she says. In denial Ashley awoke the next day in ICU and, two days later, she was moved to a regular ward, but still couldn't see. A few days later, doctors confirmed her optic nerves were dying and her eyesight would not return. 'I started crying,' she recalls. 'I thought my life was over, that I'd never have a career, fall in love or go to university.' Medics asked if she wanted to file a police report, but she declined, thinking there was no point – a decision she now regrets. She was treated in New Zealand for a month before returning to her home in Calgary, Canada. 'I would lie to friends and say I was getting my eyesight back,' she says. 'I refused to use a cane and hated asking for help. 'I was angry, sad and resentful.' Prevention not treatment She spent three years 'in denial', before deciding at 21 to study journalism at university and, later, acting. She eventually landed a job in theatre admin, then won a grant to develop a play about her experience called Static: A Party Girl's Memoir, which she performed last year at a theatre in Calgary. She has now adapted the show into a podcast. 'Methanol poisoning was the most traumatic thing that's happened to me, but I'm proud I've been able to reclaim the narrative,' she says. Ashley had hoped to be 'an anomaly' and is horrified by the recent surge in methanol poisoning incidents. Other cases have included Brit Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and her South African fiancé Els Arno Quinton, 36, who were found dead in Hoi An, Vietnam, on Boxing Day last year after allegedly drinking methanol-laced limoncello. Likewise, in January, 33 people died and another 43 were hospitalised after methanol poisoning at a holiday hot spot in Istanbul, Turkey. Four people have been arrested. Since methanol can't be detected by sight, smell or taste, Doctors Without Borders' Fiona Chuah recommends avoiding any home-made alcoholic drinks or those from questionable sources. 'Purchase alcohol from licensed stores, bars and hotels, or other reputable sources, and stick to well-known brands,' she says. 'Always check seals are intact and inspect labels for poor print quality or incorrect spelling. 'Exceptionally low prices can be a red flag.' 6 Four months on from Simone's death, Bethany says she is not holding out hope for justice for her friend. 'I don't have much faith, as the communication from authorities has been poor,' she says. Instead, she is determined to educate others about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol, and has launched a petition calling for the issue to be included in the school curriculum. ''Steer clear, drink beer' is the message that we're pushing – fake spirits can look very convincing in some of the countries where methanol poisoning is a problem,' Bethany explains. 'We need to focus on prevention, rather than treatment. 'I've lost the most important person in my life to methanol poisoning. 'All we can do for her now is to raise awareness and try to save others.' Sign the petition to put the dangers of methanol poisoning on the school curriculum at
News.com.au
01-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Anger as hotel manager reportedly opens new Laos resort after methanol poisoning killed six tourists
The former manager of the notorious hostel at the centre of the deadly methanol poisonings in Laos is said to be opening up a new luxury resort just down the road. Australians Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were among six tourists staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng last November who tragically died after drinking contaminated alcohol from the hostel bar. No charges have been laid against anyone in the six months since the incident. Just a day after the Herald Sun reported the former hostel manager known as 'Pikachu' had fled to Vietnam and claimed to have not gone back to Laos, Nine News reports Pikachu confirmed to the outlet he is involved in the new Sunrise Mountain View Resort, located just 450 metres away from the closed Nana Backpackers. The parents of Ms Bowles and Ms Jones told the broadcaster in a joint statement that they were 'angered at the recent news from Laos'. Pikachu has been proudly sharing photos and videos on Facebook of the new resort under construction for almost a year, which is promoted as having 'breathtaking views' and a rooftop bar to watch the sunset. In a post on May 24, Pikachu said there would be a month of finishes and 'then we will celebrate welcoming guests', according to an English translation. Sunrise Mountain View Resort has since denied any connection with Pikachu. 'I want to confirm with you that there is no 'Pikachu' in my resort!' an unnamed spokesperson told in an email on Sunday. 'I'm the owner. Telling me there's a 'Pikachu' in my place is not so respectful for me, please don't bother me or cause me any problems!' The Herald Sun had contacted Pikachu via WhatsApp on a number he gave when being interviewed after news broke of the poisonings in November. When asked about what happened to hostel staff who were initially detained, Pikachu said, 'I have not gone back to Laos, I don't want to talk. Maybe one day I go back to Laos but not for a long time. The hostel closed. I have no idea.' Melbourne best friends Ms Bowles and Ms Jones died after they consumed vodka and whiskey laced with methanol at the Nana Backpackers Hostel. In May, the Australian Department of Foreign Affair and Trade (DFAT) informed the families of Ms Bowles and Ms Jones, who are still desperately seeking answers, that charges have reportedly been recommended by local police against 13 people from Nana Backpackers and the Laos 'Tiger' distillery. The proposed charges include elimination of evidence, violation of food and health security and unlawful business operations. Mrs Bowles described the charges as 'appalling' and 'insulting', while Mrs Jones said she was 'furious'. 'We know that there's no murder or manslaughter charges, which we feel there should be,' Mrs Jones told 60 Minutes. The other tourists who died include British lawyer Simone White, 28, Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American James Louis Hutson, 57. Final moments before horror death in Laos Simone White's travel partner Bethany Clarke recalled the horrific experience of falling ill and witnessing her friend die to last month. Ms Clarke said they got to the hostel's bar just after 8pm on November 19 and consumed between five and six vodka shots served by the hostel, which they mixed with a bottle of Sprite and some ice cubes they also purchased from the bar. At the time, Ms Clarke and Ms White thought nothing of the drinks, but as the night moved on, and by the next morning — the pair started to feel an illness that to this day, Ms Clarke cannot quite explain. The pair woke the next morning to take part in a pre-booked kayaking tour and visit the famous Blue Lagoons which they'd both been looking forward to. 'We woke up and felt slightly off … one of our friends described it as feeling drunk,' she said. 'But … I feel like when you're drunk, you are happy. And this was a bit more … I don't know, just a sense that there wasn't something quite right and you couldn't put your finger on what it was. You would never feel as fatigued as we felt that day.' The pair pushed through, but within hours their condition got progressively worse — particularly for Ms White with a loss of appetite and an inability to swim. By the time the kayaking portion of the tour commenced, Ms Clarke knew this was more than a hangover or food poisoning. 'Simone and I were having to just lay down in the backs of the kayaks … we weren't able to actually use our arms,' she said. Venturing back to Vang Vieng, the pair collected their belongings before boarding a mini bus bound for their next stop, Vientiane. Ms Clarke said she fell asleep straight away at the back of the vehicle, only to be woken to shouts that Ms White was vomiting outside the bus. 'I fainted which I've never done before, so that should have been an alarm bell, but for some reason it wasn't … because of this cognitive decline,' Ms Clarke explained. 'Our [other] friend decided that we'd be taken to a hospital. So we ended up in a public hospital. They didn't have a clue what was wrong with us … they were coming up with food poisoning, but that was not the case.' Ms Clarke claims the hospital did not do the correct blood tests, instead insisting on a full blood count and electrolyte panels, which failed to show methanol poisoning. About 24 hours in, Ms White started to go into respiratory distress, and from there she entered a rapid decline. 'She started gasping for air,' Ms Clarke recalled. 'She then wasn't able to talk to me. She wasn't able to really look at me properly. She had her eyes open, but they were just glazed. 'She wasn't able to concentrate on me, and they [the hospital] were saying to me, she's really anxious. They just had absolutely no idea what to do with her … they gave her oxygen, but again, it was just not the right treatment. She needed to have dialysis at that point.' Ms Clarke made the decision to get Ms White out of the public hospital and into a private facility. As soon as they arrived — around 28 hours after consuming the drinks — Ms White was taken for immediate dialysis. Ms Clarke was forced to make decisions about the life of her best friend while not having full cognitive awareness herself. 'They [hospital] handed a load of forms to fill in … I was just having to wake up from being asleep and they'd say, 'Can you sign this and can you pay for this?'' she recalled. 'It was just horrendous … brain damage had occurred … she actually had five seizures during the process.' Ms Clarke was forced to make the call to Ms White's mother Sue to inform her they were in hospital with suspected methanol poisoning — a conversation she will never escape. Ms White's mother arrived from the UK to Laos just before her daughter went in for brain surgery. 'Sue literally got there as Simone was being wheeled in … obviously all her hair was shaved off. Then a few hours later we found out that although the brain surgery was sort of successful, she'd developed a bleed on that side of the brain as a result of the surgery,' Ms Clarke said. 'The other side of her brain was swollen as well. So at that point, they said that she's just going to end up in a coma regardless of what we do.' Ms Clarke and Mrs White were left with the excruciating wait of letting Ms White 'die naturally'. But because her heartbeat was still so strong, Mrs White had to speak with the British Embassy and plead to allow the turning off of her daughter's life support machine. 'They [the hospital] weren't happy initially with that idea because they're Buddhist and they want prolonged life, not to end it,' Ms Clarke said. 'But it was just a necessary thing that had to happen. Sue had to end Simone's life … And she had, I think, three attempts at trying to turn the machine off, but because she had no member of staff in there, it was just agonising and took a very long time.'
The Sun
30-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Blow to families after staff who served methanol laced drinks that killed Brit lawyer & 5 other backpackers in Laos FLEE
STAFF members who served a Brit backpacker and five other tourists deadly drinks laced with poison in Laos have sparked outrage by fleeing the country. The cruel twist came after Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, and five others died after consuming methanol-spiked vodka shots at the party hotspot last year. 5 5 5 According to the Herald Sun, at least two employees who were "detained" following the horrific ordeal have now fled Laos to neighbouring Vietnam. Tragic Simone was among five other backpackers who also lost their lives after drinking the same fatal beverages. Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19 and from Australia, as well as two young women from Denmark, Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American man James Louis Hutson, 57, were also killed. All of them were staying at the hostel along with 100 more guests. After hearing that two of the suspects had fled Laos, Bianca's dad told the Herald Sun: "We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls, the Danish girl and the British girl in Laos." The group died after they consumed vodka and whiskey laced with deadly methanol at the Nana Backpackers hostel in the town of Vang Vieng last November. Simone was among the victims after she was rushed to hospital in a near paralytic state before being placed on life support for three days. Her mum Sue took a hellish 16-hour journey from Kent to Laos after hearing of her daughter's grave condition. She said she feared Simone would die after being called by the hospital who told her she needed emergency brain surgery. After arriving at Laos hospital Sue was given the devastating ultimatum over whether to leave her daughter on life support or not. Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, dies in 'methanol-laced alcohol poisoning' that left 4 others dead in backpacking hotspot Doctors refused to switch off the machine due to their religion - but told Sue she could do it herself. The distraught mum said she had to take a tube out of her dying daughter's mouth before making the incredibly painful and "traumatic" decision to switch off the machine. Simone's official cause of death was confirmed as a bleed on the brain, an inquest heard. No charges have been made six months after the fatal ordeal, despite Laotian authorities reportedly preparing charges for up to 13 people. The 13 suspects have been accused of violating food and health security, unlawful business operations and the elimination of evidence, according to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. It comes just weeks after the families of Bianca and Holly, who died from suspected methanol poisoning, slammed cops over "appalling" charges. 5 5 The two teens tragically died just days after the shocking incident. Holly's mother told 60 Minutes: "[The charges are] pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting.' Bianca's furious mum added: 'I think we're pretty furious about it … Food and beverage. "You know, that's like? What is that? We don't even know." The parents also said they had written to Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone 'a million times'. The desperate parents claimed to have even contacted his wife, but still say they have not received a response. Why is methanol so deadly? By Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent METHANOL is a super-toxic version of alcohol that may be present in drinks if added by crooks to make them stronger or if they are brewed or distilled badly. The consequences can be devastating because as little as a single shot of contaminated booze could be deadly, with just 4ml of methanol potentially enough to cause blindness. Prof Oliver Jones, a chemist at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said: 'The body converts methanol to formic acid. 'Formic acid blocks the action of an enzyme that is critical to how the body uses oxygen to generate energy. 'If it stops working, cells cannot take up or use oxygen from the blood and lack of oxygen causes problems in a range of organs as the cells start to die. 'Symptoms of methanol poisoning include vomiting, seizures and dizziness. 'The optic nerve seems to be particularly vulnerable to methanol toxicity, so there is the potential for temporary or permanent blindness, and even death. 'While thankfully rare, methanol poisoning is very serious, and treatment should be given at a hospital.' An unexpected but key way of treating methanol poisoning is to get the patient drunk with normal alcohol - known as ethanol - to distract the liver and stop it processing the methanol.
