[net.med] danger in jacuzzi

barbaral@tekig1.UUCP (08/11/83)

Yesterday, at the health spa I go to, an interesting event happened.
A lady who was in the jacuzzi started screaming.  She was in such
hysterical pain that she could not relate what happened at first.
She was sitting in the jacuzzi and couldn't get out.  I thought it
was her back.  A nurse, who happened to be exercising in the spa,
thought she got her hand caught in some of the jacuzzi nozzles, etc.
The nurse instructed the spa personnel to call the paramedics.  By
this time the lady had somewhat calmed down.  I guess there is a
big 6 inch in diameter suction in the jacuzzi, which has to do with
the water jets, and she had somehow got stuck on it.  The suction was
on her hip, and very painful, and strong.  The paramedics managed to
break the suction.  (The suction did not go away when the jacuzzi
jets were turned off.)  The lady had a huge black and blue bruise where
the suction was.  
Has anyone heard of this happening?

rah@npoiv.UUCP (R Hammond) (08/12/83)

Yes, that is believable, in fact I recall reading in a paper that
small children sitting on the suction opening have had their
intestines pulled out from the suction.  I'm surprised that the
suction doesn't go away when the power is off, that seems to be
a poor engineering choice.
Rich Hammond (sorry I don't remember which paper I saw it in).

norm@ariel.UUCP (N.ANDREWS) (08/15/83)

There are worse dangers than that.  I have heard that more than one person
has drowned because their hair has been sucked thru the intake to the extent
that they couldn't be freed in time to prevent drowning.  Also, some people
fall asleep in the warm water and then drown.
Norm Andrews

darrelj@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Darrel VanBuer) (08/15/83)

The greatest danger to small children from jacuzzi suction is being stuck to
the bottom and drowning.