From: "JEZ!" <jez.rose@virgin.net>
To: <FJORDING@aol.com>, "BalloonHQ" <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Re: Breathing Helium - this needs reading.
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 19:10:23 +0100

I find your rude and extremely sarcastic statement an offence to my
profession and an insult which I take very personally.  I work long hours,
for crap money, for people like you - and this is the sort of thanks the
medical profession receives for warning of dangers to a topic related to
your very profession.

To answer your question (although I do not see why I should, this is for the
benefit of the rest of the group) via a neighbour who is a diving
instructor; the helium used by divers is not an entertainer gas.  The
compound structure is different and thus safer to breathe.  Entertainer
gases should not, under any circumstances, be willingly, freely and
deliberately inhaled.  I offer you this advice, however, if you refuse to
take it then you are totally liable and responsible for your own actions.

It is a different matter if you know what you are doing and if, as a medical
professional such as myself, you have had sufficient training in medical
gases, as you will be very aware of these dangers.  It is also true that
helium used in diving is used with a mixture of oxygen...as without oxygen
your brain cannot live.  Full stop - there are no additional comments to
make on this.  You couldn't even lecture on this topic as there is nothing
more to say.  Your brain cannot live without oxygen - if starved for more
than three minutes it will begin to shut down.  Breathing in another gas,
such as helium, methane, butane, or a liquid such as petrol, water...or any
other matter isn't a compensation for oxygen.  Just because you are
breathing, it does not mean to say that it is okay.  You will invariably
cause long term damage to your respiratory system if abused over a period of
time.  And because testing has not been done to find out how long you can
breathe in neat helium for before collapsing (for obvious reasons) it is
safer to say, with expert knowledge and from scientists working with gases,
thus, not to breathe it in at all.

I don't like returning bitchy mail but on a matter so serious I cannot help
it - it is legally my duty to advise, and this I have done.

Yours, in the work for a better world,
Kindest Regards,



Jez Rose
MBAEA.BdeMSJA.MMCI

>         OK, then explain why divers using helium, even living in it for
> extended periods in deep sea bells, are talking for hours at a time like
> that, and breathing it, with no ill effects as soon as they come up to
normal
> air. Though I don't suggest breathing it, as you surely CAN pass out, your
> statements have as many holes as a cheap balloon.