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Re: rapid boiling at the very end with liquid nitrogen

At 6:28 PM -0500 6/13/03, Brian Whatcott wrote:

until his dentist's bills became excessive:
Swallowing liquid nitrogen, then extruding a chilling plume
of a meter length or so....

I learned this 'trick' from my grad school advisor approximately
30-some years ago and have photos in such papers as the College
Station (TX) Picayune (or SOME such name!) and other learned
publications. Getting droplets to spew a meter of more is 'no big
deal'. Do NOT swallow it!!!!!

I visit my dentist faithfully (every ten years or so) and he has
NEVER mentioned the slightest damage that might have come from this
cryogenic tom-foolery.

I HAVE seen blistered lips on folk who 'drink' straight from the
glass dewar (instead of a fashionable Styrofoam cup). SOMEone who is
on this list did swallow a bit by accident but said that the worst
effect was some SERIOUS gas pains followed by a MOST satisfying belch!

The way I see it - if you keep your mouth good and wet - NO tissue
will get below a temp of zero C until ice begins to form. Nobody in
their right mind is gonna keep the stuff in the mouth cavity long
enough for freezing to begin.

I admire Walker's desire to protect us but SOME of his comments are
entirely for effect. Would I REALLY have killed him if I had failed
to smash the cement block on his chest while he rested on his bed of
nails???

I HOPE not - but his warning DID add a bit to the theatrics of the occasion.


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(919) 416-2762 Albert Einstein, 1936