Paukenschlager Posted January 3 Posted January 3 I have heard multiple times the rumour about pilots... overusing the latrines due to inhalation of fumes and residues of Castor Oil used as lubricants in plane engines during the Great War. Invariably, this factoid is accompanied by the mith of big amounts of alcohol drunk by pilots as a countermeasure to the Castor Oil effects, something that to my knowledge is physiologically inaccurate as alcohol would possibly make things worse! While I can fully understand this rumour being mentioned in works of fiction, I am surprised to see people in forums and Facebook groups quoting it as facts. I was wondering if anyone has any source that confirms or debunks this story. Quote
Flying Officer Kyte Posted January 3 Posted January 3 I can only suggest that you experiment with castor oil and an alcohol of your choice. Even better run a trial on the alcohol and then see if castor oil makes it any worse. I personally find that being in an aircraft at 30,000 feet with a Messerschmitt on my tail quite invigorating enough. Rob. 2 Quote
Paukenschlager Posted January 4 Author Posted January 4 7 hours ago, Flying Officer Kyte said: run a trial on the alcohol and then see if castor oil makes it any worse Rob, over the last 2 years I've very nearly become a teetotaler so if I try it the way you suggest I'll probably be drunk soon enough to forget to try the castor oil The scientific method would suffer, you see Quote
Flying Officer Kyte Posted January 4 Posted January 4 In that case, I would get a stand in to act as a Guinea pig Valerio. Rob. Quote
flash Posted January 4 Posted January 4 Or, just Google it... Alcohol keeps your body from releasing vasopressin, a hormone that helps your body hang onto fluid by preventing water from going out in your urine. Less vasopressin means you'll need to pee more. But when your body gets rid of more fluid than normal, that can make you constipated... so maybe it is more fact than fiction, Valerio ? Dave Quote
hokusai Posted January 4 Posted January 4 The Wikipedia article about rotary engines mentions the problem by referring to Arthur Gould Lee (2012). Open Cockpit: A Pilot of the Royal Flying Corps. Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-25-0. Does anyone own that book? As for castor oil as laxative, Wikipedia refers to https://www.drugs.com/monograph/castor-oil.html Are you thinking of a diarrhea house rule for rotary planes? 🚽😏 Quote
Paukenschlager Posted January 4 Author Posted January 4 1 hour ago, flash said: But when your body gets rid of more fluid than normal, that can make you constipated... Oh well that's really new to me as I remember being told in school and even reading that alcohol could adversely affect the bacteria in your intestine, making you more prone to diarrhea I had chucked all sort of words in the search bar but I was always focusing on the castor oil rather than the alcohol! 1 hour ago, hokusai said: The Wikipedia article about rotary engines mentions the problem by referring to Arthur Gould Lee (2012). Open Cockpit: A Pilot of the Royal Flying Corps. Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-25-0 Oh finally a source bringing it all together! Thanks! 1 hour ago, hokusai said: Are you thinking of a diarrhea house rule for rotary planes? 🚽😏 Yeah, drink a shot of spirits before the game or perform Immelmanns at your own risk Thanks chaps! Quote
milcoll73 Posted January 4 Posted January 4 maybe it was just an excuse to rationalize their heavy drinking lol Quote
Jager Posted January 4 Posted January 4 5 hours ago, hokusai said: The Wikipedia article about rotary engines mentions the problem by referring to Arthur Gould Lee (2012). Open Cockpit: A Pilot of the Royal Flying Corps. Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-25-0. Does anyone own that book? As for castor oil as laxative, Wikipedia refers to https://www.drugs.com/monograph/castor-oil.html Are you thinking of a diarrhea house rule for rotary planes? 🚽😏 I do still own my copy from the 70s. I'll give it a look-see, though I seem to remember the reference from it (though it could have been from the Goshawk Squadron(fiction)). Karl Quote
Paukenschlager Posted January 4 Author Posted January 4 7 minutes ago, Jager said: could have been from the Goshawk Squadron Karl I actually first found this referenced to in Goshawk Squadron - the argument with the Colonel about the supply of alcohol - but then I read it in other posts and forums so I thought it might have been a well founded rumour. 42 minutes ago, milcoll73 said: maybe it was just an excuse to rationalize their heavy drinking lol Definitely a possibility Quote
Flying Officer Kyte Posted January 4 Posted January 4 On reflection, I think it is just a load of bull**** dished out by the Hun propaganda machine. After all most of what they say is! Kyte. Quote
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