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I ihave heard that it is wise to get a gas detector fitted in the van as scumbags have been known to drill a hole in your van and filling it with gas to knock you out and rob you.
Thank you for your enquiry. I would like to inform you that you are not the first enquirer with this question. Professor Hatch, our Clinical Advisor, has given the following previous comments:
"I can give you a categorical assurance that it would not be possible to render someone unconscious with ether without their knowledge, even if they were sleeping at the time. Ether is an extremely pungent agent and a relatively weak anaesthetic by modern standards and has a very irritant affect of the air passages, causing coughing and sometimes vomiting. It takes some time to reach unconsciousness, even if given by direct application to the face on a rag, and the concentration needed by some sort of spray into a room would be enormous. The smell hangs around for days and would be obvious to anyone the next day.
There are much more powerful agents around now, some of which are almost odourless. However, these would be unlikely to be able to achieve the effect you describe, and the cost would be huge enough to deter any thief unless he was after the crown jewels. The only practicable agent is probably the one used by the Russians in the Moscow siege - I advised the BBC on their programme about this. The general feeling is that they used an agent which is not available outside the KGB!
Finally, unsupervised anaesthesia, which is what we are really talking about is very dangerous. In the Moscow siege about 20% of victims died from asphyxia, because their airways were unprotected. If the reports you talk about are true I would have expected a significant number of deaths or cases of serious brain damage to have been reported."
I hope this information is helpful to you.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists
HTH
Dave
656
Last edited by klubnomad on Fri May 25, 2007 6:00 pm; edited 1 time in total ______________________________________________________________ Sometimes things happen for a reason
There are "stories" abounding ref, gas attacks, but no one has confirmed they have had such an experience. Maybe urban myths, stemmed from the gas attacks reported on French railways, when cars were being taken south, passengers supposedly gas in carriages. Big news about 5 or more years ago. M/Homers often debate the hows and wherefore's of these rumoured attacks. Experts in medical gases contradict each other, theorists produce "theories" but main course to take is, be aware of personal security needs all the time. Do not relax your guard.
Make sure vehicle is secured, keep valuables concealed, take few readily redeamable goods, and fit a gas detector, which doubles as a smoke alarm as well as detecting potential gas leaks.
So, just be careful, as whenever leaving home for hols, you never know who may be sizing you up, so take all reasonable precautions.
Ah thanks all, that puts my mind a little more at ease now. Looks like a classic myth. Might not have to race down to the german chandlers to pick up a can of mace for our continental tour just yet lol.
Re: People filling your van with gas to knock you out?
AS A RELATIVE NEWBY TO A MH THE BEST ADVICE THAT I HAVE SEEN IS TO HAVE A VISIBLE CHAIN/CABLE WITH LOCK BETWEEN THE TWO FRONT DOORS AND A SECURE SECONDARY LOCK ON THE HABITATION DOOR, AND STAY WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER MHERS, SAFETY IN NUMBERS. CHEERS DAVE .
______________________________________________________________ I never wish anyone dead, but I do take pleasure in reading some obituaries
I have 'gone out' like a light once or twice over the years, and both times, it was in a car with the exhaust fumes finding a way in. Thoughts of nasty wartime events made me ponder, as this has come up again, wouldn't it be easy ( and cheap ) to run a long hose from a further off vehicle into a vent? - As they say, it's hard to detect and can be lethal. I was minded of one poster who decribed a terrible headache and nausea. I had this after fainting (I said FAINTING!) in the car. I agree it is pretty far fetched to imagine an anaesthetic being involved. Also reckon as do most, that there's more chance of meeting a unicorn on your travels. - But I have a feeling for the above being possible. Thoughts? - Helena.
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