Posted on 06/23/2005 4:52:16 AM PDT by linkinpunk
Mother, Daughter Burned When Head Lice Solution Catches Fire
POSTED: 12:30 pm EDT June 22, 2005
LANSING, Mich. -- A Michigan mother and daughter are hospitalized in critical condition after a homemade head lice solution for the girl caught fire.
The Lansing State Journal says both suffered severe burns. Police say the four-year-old girl had burns to 60 percent of her body.
Another child in the house escaped injury. No word on what type of liquid the mother was using.
60% burns? She will have scars.
I wonder what octane that gasoline was.
Oh yes, this gets the Darwin award.
"home made lice solution"
What the hell did she use????
People still have head lice in the USA these days ? I remember all the kids being checked for head lice back in the early 60's when I was in elementary school ...but in 2005 ?
Oh man what the heck did she use?
Kerosene is sometimes used for killing lice. Maybe the mother was stupid enough to be smoking while using this treatment? Near a lit stove? Out at the barbeque grill?
At any rate, this is a terrible pity for a poor child. God bless her.
A "homemade" head lice solution. I would bet a semester's worth of financial aid that it included gasoline or some type of alcohol. I bet the mother is wishing now that she shelled out the ten dollars for the lice treatment at the drug store.
Some time ago, there was an article posted on FR about a mother who decided to use gasoline to kill the lice in her son's dreadlocks. The child was, at his tender age, some sort of "rap artist," and to get a haircut or wash his hair would destroy his "look," to which the dreadlocks were necessary. The mother took the boy to the local ER, and the doctors there told him to get a haircut. But the mother claims that the subject of using gasoline was mentioned (this is a technique used in some areas of the world). Unfortunately, the brilliant mother decided to do this in the kitchen, near her stove, and the dreadlocks caught on fire. She wound up severely burning her son's face and torso. And then she sued the hospital. Priceless.
Was mom smoking while she applied the unleaded regular?
Very sad for this little girl to suffer such serious consequences of her mom's stupidity.
Sixty percent burns on a four year old child is not happy.
Prayers for her recovery.
The girl will be lucky if she doesn't die. The fact that mother and daughter are in critical condition suggests that the burns are pretty bad. The article doesn't say what degree the burns are.
Yes. It is quite common in the schools.
Gasoline, kerosene, or coal tar based solution - which would be sticky and would spread over the body in a gooey mess while burning.
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050622/NEWS01/506220349/1001/news
A Lansing mother's attempt to rid her 4-year-old daughter of head lice caused a fire that left them both in critical condition, authorities said Tuesday.
The 44-year-old woman was apparently treating the girl with a homemade concoction containing a flammable liquid when the flash fire erupted Monday night, police said. Authorities wouldn't identify the liquid, and they don't know exactly how the fire ignited.
Both were in critical condition Tuesday with severe burns. Their names were not released.
(snip)
Even treating lice properly can be dangerous, said Amy Kirkconnell, a pharmacist at Lansing Community Pharmacy.
"Years and years ago people used things like gasoline, but now you should stay away from home treatments," she said.
The best way to kill lice is by using over-the-counter products such as Nix or Rid, she said - but, as pesticides, those can be harmful as well.
"You have to follow the directions," Kirkconnell said. "You have to use them just as directed."
Kerosene is a common treatment for lice but it has a very low volatility and is quite safe.
Likely pure grain alcohol or a volatile solvent like acetone which is right next door to gasoline on the volatility index and quite toxic.
Well, stupid nonetheless. The stupid doesn't just spontaneously combust. They must have been near a flame of some kind.
Do you think we've become more civilized since the 60's?
Man Suffers Severe Burns Trying To Kill Lice
Treatment for lice leaves girl burned
What's needed is an increase in federal spending to educate our lice ridden citizens that applying flammable liquids to your scalp usually isn't a good thing.
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