h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm not even convinced yeast do the converting ethanol to 'other stuff' reaction... they're main reaction, lets face it, is in making* alcohol, hence we use yeast in brewing and ultimately, at a certain point, the yeast can't produce no more alcohol, as they themselves, are poisened by it, thusly, if htey do possess the ability to metabolise ethanol down to an inocueous substance, they can't do so at a rapid rate; or all fermented alcohols, would end up, err, with no alcohol in em...

I'm not sure how long active yeast would remain active in stomach acid, anyway...

It's not the yeast that works on the alcohol in the stomach: "Roughly put, ADH is able to break alcohol molecules down into their constituent parts of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen."

But what would a Harvard-educated bloke with a PhD in biochemistry know about that?

That depends on how drunk he is when you ask him!

The alcohol deyhdrogenase, is a protein molecule, and enzyme, produced by the yeast, which performs the reaction, so, effectively it is the yeast, assuming indeed it contains taht enzyme (which seems likely, though I've not checked), but, at the same time, the yeast is metabolising, respiring, and thereby producing alcohol/ethanol; the alcohol/ethanol is a biproduct of the cellular respiration of the fungi, which ultimately they do, to produce energy (ATP), and they need this energy, to, yeh, make proteins amongst other things; including enzymes.... the biproducts of alcoholdehydrogenase is a more toxic substance, or as* toxic as the alcohol itsef; which in itself might rahter disturb ones stomach plus, of course, the stomach is full of enzymes, protease in particular, dipeptadases, etc., etc., which break down proteins.... including, any enzymes and bits of them I'm a bit cautious about the whole thing... though; if someone else offers to test it out... then... be it on their own shoulders they take responsibility

As for gases in the blood stream, it takes a pretty significant bubble to cause any damage, at least 20ml or about the volume of an entire unprimed IV line. And that's just for some damage. Large amounts, around 100 - 300 ml, have allegedly been fatal.

I got quite a scare getting an IV once seeing a bubble flow up the line. The nurse assured me it was fine. I think that idea of a bubble stopping your heart was spread by several TV crime dramas.

This story has been picked up by Snopes. They rank it as undetermined, so your experiment could add to the anecdotal evidence.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/yeast.asp

"For now, a definitive answer awaits empirical evidence gathered through properly controlled studies."

In other words, down the pub, Tuesday night, with me mate

Anyone got any contacts at Nature, or the BMJ, btw? It'd be handy to have an in when I present the barmat with my findings written on it.

Your adherence to, and adoption of, the imperical scientific method, shall, I am sure, in the fullness of time, in this regard, go down in the history books, as an alturistic, and well-recieved contribution to the sum of human knowledge. May your endevours prove productive and your experimentation quantitive in its results; for lo, even if you fail in your quest; it is the mark of a true brave man, and member of the Empire, that he did not lay down, and fail to try, in reciept of doubters, and unbelief, for he of strong will did dare, dare to challange, to discover, and brave the unknown, as thusly did our great empire once rely; and history itself shall regail this greatness, and verasity in the persuit of such noble and glorious charges and challanges

Well, you know, one does what one can for the good of humanity. It's not for the OBE, or the knighthood, or the earldom, or the Nobel prize, or the statue in Trafalgar Square (once they've taken down Nelson and renamed it Gosho's column). No, it's just for knowledge of a job well done.

Exactly. And, exactly as one expects, and indeed, sees, as in this case, from a true English-man, and member of the empire; Onward striving, constantly, in the face of adversity, summoning strength only from a nice hot cuppa tea, and the knowledge, that, in every deed he does, he is indeed supporting, and help build the greatness that is our empire and position on the world stage; Striving forward, in persuit of happyness, sobriety, goodliness, and justice, against such evils as poorly made tea, and inedible biscuits, in the certain knowledge, that, as in all of a great man's actions, his just rewards, shall one day be felt, for all of his work, great and good, within the realm, our realm, of the empire!


Gentlement, a toast!

"against such evils as poorly made tea, and inedible biscuits"

And British Rail sandwiches. Don't forget the British Rail sandwiches.

You had to mention the sandwichs. You just couldn't help yoruself could you? don't forget... ha ha ha ha. I'vve been trying to forget, for decades, and yet, still, on quiet, dark nights, in the middle of ones dreams, the memory lives again. Alive and kicking, screaming and shouting, demolishing all other thoughts, and strangling the very essence of humanity from the darkest recesses of our souls. The memory, neigh, the horror shall never die, not in our minds, not in our deepest, darkest, most feared dreams and dark recesses of our subconscious. The horror, oh the horror.

In my life I have, as yet and long ago, only been on British shores for 10 days, and yet I know well the heartbreak of such sandwiches. Now, to be clear, it wasn't British Rail but the London Underground. I was a poor student abroad and in my hunger I spied the kiosk in some forgotten station. I saw on the menu something labeled "Ham and cheese sandwich". I purchased it and discovered how great a divide there can be between expectation and reality. The menu stated "ham and cheese sandwich" and it did not lie. It had something that was probably ham on it. It was the minimum of ham that could still be detected from each edge of the sandwich. It had cheese. It was the most general of cheddar. It didn't stand out in any way as much as it tried to be the center of the spectrum of what one may call cheese. And it had bread, which classified it as a sandwich.

With my first bite, I discovered how parched a mouth can be. But I was hungry and poor, so I made my way through the entire thing. By the end I was surprised I could still breath. The entire time, however, I knew I couldn't complain. I was given exactly, no more nor no less, than what I was promised.

It was the most pedantic ham and cheese sandwich one could ever experience.

There are sandwiches like that, and there are the kind of sandwiches you get in places like the Carnegie Deli which you practically need a Sherpa to find the top of. Somewhere in between the two is a sandwich that makes sense, altitudinally and nutritionally.

Just a smidgen of mayo, salad cream or even Miracle Whip would have transformed that desicant into a proper sandwich.

Many, many Brit's, and, indeed, many Brit's who are the manfacturers of sandwichs, still believe mayo, pickles, salad cream, and other such 'forign muck', to be against the will of BoB, holey and wholey unatural, and things which, in their minds at least, have no place in a sandwich, despite evidence to the contry Simularly, such people, live under the belief system, which suggests a cup of tea, or coffee, should be produced, with the tiniest amount of flavouring possible; It has long been thought that such weak beverages are, in fact, the origion of homoeopathic remadys

The difference is we would have bought the sandwich and a large thereby counteracting the dryness.

Mind, for 'large tea', read large plastic/cardboard container full of warm slightly tainted with tea, water...