Carbon monoxide
ENMU professor survives silent killer; others not as fortunate
By: K.J. Stimpson
Issue date: 1/27/09 Section: News
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"I came back from Christmas break … and right away I came down with the flu," the professor, who wishes to remain anonymous, said. "But it wasn't too bad so I just toughed through it until finally my chest just hurt so much that I was incapacitated."
The symptoms of such a toxic gas are similar to that of the flu only without the fever. This fact along with its odorless, colorless and tasteless appearance is one of the contributing reasons why carbon monoxide poisoning is difficult to recognize.
The professor said, over time his symptoms became worse. He began to feel more constriction in his chest, he was getting dizzy spells and his ability to think coherently was dwindling.
Family, friends and students showed concern for his health, the professor said. However, it was not until his wife came down to check on him that the carbon monoxide leak was discovered.
Thinking it was just the flu at the time, his wife slept on an air mattress near the vent, then "about 4:30 in the morning she woke up because she had pain in her back, and that had been going on for a little while, but when she tried to get up she fell … and she realized she had all the symptoms I had," the professor said.
It was from this display of similar symptoms so fast, she concluded that it wasn't just the flu, it was something in the apartment.
According to carbonmonoxidekills.com, carbon monoxide is produced when the combustion of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, coal and wood, are incomplete. It was due to a furnace malfunction that the ENMU professor became exposed for a little over a week to this silent killer.
After the discovery, a myriad of events occurred, according to the professor. His landlord put his wife and him up at a hotel while the heating element was replaced.