
Possibility of Disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in Human Respiratory Tract - LinuxBender
https://arxiv.org/abs/2003.12444
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maxander
> (Submitted on 15 Mar 2020)

I feel like if this would work, it would mean one could inhale vaporized
alcohol efficiently enough to get drunk on the vapor alone. And if that were a
thing people could do, one would certainly expect it to be familiar from some
terrible frat culture shenanigans. ...On the other hand, should be simple
enough to get a trial together.

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anfilt
I don't see this idea working, but normally alcohol also has sugars in it.
Even distilled alcohol has sugars. Inhaling sugar sounds like a great way to
cause other problem. If this were to have any success the alcohol would have
to be extremely pure.

also alcohol would also dry out the airways I bet.

As to why its not been tried recreationally before. Lower proof alcohol
beverages don't vaporize as easily. So other methods would probably work
better. Although there is stuff like everclear.

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totony
Any source on this? I'd be surprised if sugar would be in the distillate. It
might lower the vapor pressure of alcohol itself but it shouldnt vaporize and
recondensate

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anfilt
What do you thinks gives various distilled spirits there various flavours.
Otherewise, you would just use the cheapest sugar to ferment. Also oils and
tannins can get distilled too with the alcohol.

Its why distilling has what they call different cuts. That depend on
temperature and where in the distillation you are in. A vodka would have very
little while a brandy will include cuts that have traces of things for
flavour.

~~~
totony
This [0] does not suggest that anything but ethanol/water and potentially some
other volatile compounds are in the distillate. I'm not familiar with brewing
and flavoring distilled spirits, but quite familiar with distillation and
doubt that even oil would be in the distillate.

[1] suggests that tannins are present in the distillate, but I have not found
a tannin that is volatile and [2] names one that isn't in beer

Flavor seems to be added after distillation from what i can see (and is
potentially influenced by the volatile impurities)

[0]
[https://www.compoundchem.com/2016/06/08/vodka/](https://www.compoundchem.com/2016/06/08/vodka/)
[1] [https://vinepair.com/spirits-101/how-distilling-
works/](https://vinepair.com/spirits-101/how-distilling-works/)

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jeffrallen
Bravo for serious science, especially when it could easily be mistaken for a
Onion piece where the gag is that even if you don't kill the virus, you'll get
drunk trying.

~~~
hcknwscommenter
I mean stranger things have happened, but it seems highly unlike this could be
effective.

~~~
woadwarrior01
There’s a traditional Romanian cold remedy which involves inhaling vapours of
hot liquor (Țuică fiarta) before drinking it.

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sbrass
As already stated by the other commenters, the author had already submitted
the paper to arXiv in mid of March. So, I don't think that it falls in anyway
under April's fool (and I don't think that in this serious situation any
researcher should do a April's fool paper).

Back to its contents, the authors describe the potential destructive action of
alcohol on SARS-CoV-2 and its possible application in the respiratory tract,
thus, nose, nasal cavity and further. He bases his ansatz on a theoretical
approach on diffusing the alcohol from a alcoholic vapor in to the respiratory
system. However, as theoretical it may sound, I think it could prove usable,
if it is done in a controlled way and may deliver a simple approach to help
infected people and saving those.

~~~
rurban
The usual approach is to use salt, not alcohol. The virus does indeed not like
alcohol based sanitizers, but then all respiratory virus illnesses would be
treatable with that, and the common treatment is with saltwater. I just got a
small tinnitus, which looks like a cold, and for sure I'll be treating it with
salt, not whiskey

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grayed-down
It's not 4/1 where I'm sitting, and this paper looks somewhat legit on first
skim.

Anyway, here's a story: My college roommate was a force of nature. So one
weekend night I'm feeling a big cold coming on and I want to stay in and rest.

He was having none of that, so he goes to the kitchen and gets a spoon and a
bottle of vodka and proceeds to snort a spoonful up both nostrils. It was
horrifying. Then he gives the spoon to me.

I don't know how exactly, but he convinced me to do the same. It wasn't
pleasant, but within a few hours and along with a few gin and tonics, there
was no runny nose, no sore throat or headache.

I've done this several times over the years and when it works, it works well.
Am I recommending this? Hell no, don't do it!

~~~
teslabox
> He was having none of that, so he goes to the kitchen and gets a spoon and a
> bottle of vodka and proceeds to snort a spoonful up both nostrils. It was
> horrifying. Then he gives the spoon to me. I don't know how exactly, but he
> convinced me to do the same.

Cool story, thanks for sharing.

> Am I recommending this? Hell no, don't do it!

Alcohol fumes are also useful for treating tuberculosis and pneumonia. I don't
recommend the spoon method, it's much gentler to use an evaporation chamber.

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lgats
Could this work with a more commonly vaporized alcohol, Ether?

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ether_addiction](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ether_addiction)

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findyoucef
I can't tell if this is real

~~~
1_over_n
[https://groups.oist.jp/qwmu/tsumoru-
shintake](https://groups.oist.jp/qwmu/tsumoru-shintake)

This does indeed appear to be a serious researcher.

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paultz
| wonder if diethyl ether would work similarly - its a shorter acting chemical

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pezo1919
What about inhaling eucalyptus against SARS-CoV-2 (or influenza)?

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anfilt
if it was not submitted on the 15th I would probably think this was an April
fools joke.

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rurban
The joke via backdating the Cornell site could be a prank by both. Just change
3 dates.

Whiskey, Sake, come on. Just the Wodka and Russian coauthor are missing.

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Haitischmock
Can vape pens be used for this ?

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rurban
April 1st, well done

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villgax
Need testing

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fithisux
April 1st

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1_over_n
see above, paper was submitted mid-march.

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netsharc
I wonder if this will get to Mitch McConnell, he'd be promoting the hell out
of it (Three of his top five individual donors have ties to the Kentucky-based
maker of Jack Daniel’s whiskey).

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grayed-down
JD is distilled in TN, but there are other fine KY bourbons that will do just
fine. And Cocaine Mitch better promote his states distilleries along with all
the other fine business located down there in KY.

