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Drinking game puts Perth man near death

CATHY O'LEARY and MINH LAM



A 21-year-old Perth man is lucky to be alive after having his stomach ripped open during a beer-skolling game using a home-made device powered by an electric pump.

The drinking game at a 21st birthday party in a southern suburb 10 days ago went badly wrong, rupturing the man's stomach and forcing beer straight into his abdomen.

The man, who is in St John of God Hospital in Murdoch and spent a week in intensive care fighting for his life, was among a group of friends at a private party who used the device.

It is believed to have consisted of a helmet fitted with a jug from which a hose was attached to a pump that was powered by a power drill.

Another hose from the pump was placed in his mouth and the pump was switched on, pushing beer from the jug down his throat.

The man, a mechanical drafter who did not want his name published, said yesterday that about six other party-goers had used the "jug helmet" before him.

"No one else had any problems and I didn't think it would be any different to other things like funnels that people use," he said.

"But I knew something wasn't right soon after I drank from it. I started spewing up red stuff and was in a lot of pain."

Although he has little memory of the next few days, friends took the man to the Murdoch hospital's emergency department where staff originally thought he was just drunk. When his friends told about the skolling device doctors suspected something was seriously wrong.

The man underwent urgent surgery to repair a 10cm tear and was then on life support for a week.

Surgeon David Cooke said the split in the wall of the man's stomach had pushed food and beer into his abdominal cavity, making him septic. His insides had to be "washed out" twice and he was put on heavy-duty antibiotics.

The man's mother said that for several days it was touch and go.

"We were told that if his oesophagus had torn as well he probably would have died," she said. "I know 21-year-olds are out to have some fun but I don't think any of them . . . realised what can happen when these sorts of drinking games get out of hand."

She said she did not want to blame anyone for what happened but hoped the device had been destroyed.

Health experts yesterday warned people not to build gadgets that allowed the rapid consumption of large amounts of alcohol.

Australian Medical Association public health chairwoman Rosanna Capolingua said she was horrified that people would pump a liquid into themselves.

"This is a warning with Christmas and new year coming up to be a little careful and not try to up the ante," she said.

"You can have a great time and a lot of fun without putting yourself and each other in danger."

http://thewest.com.au/20041215/news...-sto130036.html
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