Spa tub death warning

Press, 22 August 1979, Page 13

Spa tub death warning

PA Wellington A public health official has given a warning to spa tub owners. The Deputy Director of Public Health (Dr R. C. Begg) said yesterday that the backyard tubs which bubbled hot water could be dangerous if owners adjusted the thermostats, or used them after drinking a lot of alcohol. Dr Begg’s warning followed the recent death of a 53-year-old American couple in their spa tub.

A coroner’s inquiry found that the victims had a high alcohol-blood count, and had readjusted the thermostat so the temperature could climb to 54.5 deg (130 deg F). The maximum recommended temperature for a spa tub is usually 40 deg (104 deg F). The couple were found to have died of hyperthermia, a form of heat stroke brought on by the hot water. Dr Begg said it was the

first such Incident to have been reported in New Zealand. Dr Begg said alcohol and hot water were always a bad combination because they both had the effect of dilating blood vessels close to the surface of the skin and facilitating heat loss. “This means the tubs could conceivably also be dangerous if they were allowed to get too cold, and people suffered great beat loss,” be said.