The Dangers of Injecting Disinfectant: A Scientific Perspective
Injecting disinfectant into the body is a practice that carries significant risks and can be life-threatening. To understand why, we must first explore the nature of disinfectants and the body's defense mechanisms against them.
Understanding Disinfectants and their Effects
Some of the products we use against microbes or pathogens have names that might initially sound harmless or contrarian, such as 'antiseptic' or 'disinfectant.' However, these names are almost opposites to the actions these substances undertake. For instance:
Anti-septic: 'Anti' septic against rotting
Disinfectant: 'dis' -infect -ant thing opposing that which infects
Anti-biotic: 'Anti' biotic against life
The truth is, 'disinfectant' and 'antiseptic' are often used interchangeably for substances that kill essentially any living cell, including human cells. Detergents are similarly indiscriminate in their destructive power.
The Role of the Skin as a Protective Barrier
Our skin acts as a protective barrier, providing a layer of keratin and dead cells that shield us from external harmful chemicals. While antiseptics, detergents, and disinfectants can be used with relative safety on the skin, their effects are very different when applied internally.
Internal Application Risks
When introduced into the body, these chemicals can pose severe risks:
Digestive System: The digestive system has some protective mechanisms that can tolerate low concentrations of antiseptics like ethanol, but it is not designed to withstand high concentrations. High antiseptic concentrations can cause serious damage.
Lungs: Ingesting or injecting detergent into the lungs can be particularly dangerous. For example, the 'tide pod challenge' demonstrated that even relatively harmless soap can cause severe injury. Cells are little fat bubbles, and detergents, being fat solvents, can tear them apart, leading to severe tissue damage.
Conclusion and Precaution
The use of disinfectants and detergents for medical purposes is usually restricted to external applications, precisely because of their harmful properties. Injecting such chemicals into the bloodstream is extremely dangerous and can have catastrophic effects.
If a chemical can kill a virus in a petri dish, it does not mean it is safe to inject it into the body. The body has a complex system for defense and regulation, and interfering with it can have severe consequences. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid injecting disinfectants or any other harmful chemicals into the body.
Just as you wouldn't shoot yourself if you knew a handgun could kill a virus, do not inject disinfectant or any other harmful chemicals. These substances can cause severe damage, and the risks far outweigh any potential benefits.