Aussies are being warned against drinking liquor in Bali after a kiwi tourist was left convulsing in bathroom from methanol poisoning.
The New Zealand man was having a night out with his partner and friends at an apparently renowned venue in Bali when his health rapidly deteriorated.
He experienced severe symptoms, including violent illness, difficulty breathing, incoherence, and convulsions.
The ailing couple sought help from Colin Ahearn, an advocate of safe drinking for Bali tourists, who identified it as a case of methanol poisoning.
Tourists on holiday in Bali have been warned about the dangers of drinking liquor at the Indonesian holiday destination (stock image)
A Kiwi man, enjoying a night out in Bali with his partner and a group of friends, was left convulsing in a bathroom from suspected methanol poisoning after drinking bootleg alcohol from a ‘reputable venue’ (stock image)
“He was convulsing on the toilet, nearly had a seizure. He was so confused when he came back. He’s also a big guy, he weighs over 100 kg.’
Mr Ahearn helped the couple by guiding them through steps to improve the man’s condition, such as using ethanol.
He explained that drinking duty-free spirits is considered the best option because they can counteract the effects of methanol.
The Kiwi man’s condition has since improved and it appears he suffered no lasting effects from the methanol poisoning.
Methanol poisoning has been a persistent problem in Bali for years, with numerous cases of seriously ill tourists, and tragically, some of them have lost their lives. Previous reports suggest it kills hundreds of Indonesians every year.
Methanol is a normal by-product of distillation, but cheap manufacturing processes can leave the harmful chemical in alcoholic beverages when bootleg spirits are made.
“The tax on authentic properly imported alcohol is huge, so they’ll use Arak based spirits with flavorings to try and make it taste like what you’re drinking,” he explained.
“It takes 30ml of methanol to blind someone and 60 to 90ml to kill an average sized person without proper treatment,” Ahearn told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Ahearn is concerned that some Australians are misdiagnosing their symptoms as ‘Bali belly’, a gastrointestinal illness caused by viruses in the water.
Methanol poisoning can manifest with different symptoms depending on the level of exposure and the amount of methanol consumed.
These symptoms usually include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion and headache.
As poisoning progresses, individuals may experience blurred vision or loss of vision, rapid breathing, drowsiness, slurred speech, seizures and, in severe cases, even coma.
Given the potentially life-threatening nature of methanol poisoning, immediate medical attention is essential.
This year, talks of methanol poisoning gained attention again after the tragic death of Charlie John Bradley, a 28-year-old real estate agent from Sydney. His family believes that tainted drinks may have been the cause of his death.
Charlie John Bradley left) was found outside a health clinic in Bali. His sister, Beth (right), has asked those who saw him in his final moments to come forward to help their family find out what happened to him
North Kuta Police are investigating the location outside Bhaktivedanta clinic where Mr Bradley was found
Mr Bradley was found dead on the road outside a hospital clinic in northern Kuta, southern Bali, hours after leaving Finns Beach Club in April.
His sister Beth Bradley has told Daily Mail Australia she suspects her brother may have been a victim of methanol poisoning – after being assured by friends that no drugs had been used.
“Charlie doesn’t drink beer — he sticks to hard liquor,” she said.
‘There is a lot of methanol poisoning in Bali. It seems many bars pump their alcohol themselves with ethanol to save money on its production.
“The body can’t hack as much, which can lead to hallucinations, not being able to walk, shaking, and multiple other symptoms.”
Ms Bradley said she had “racked her brain a million times” in a search for answers and that this was the most plausible.