Hi Linda G Type in a search engine "Decanting" "Chemicals" "Accidents" and there are a few Incident links displayed some where a person has drank the chemical and the outcome. Regards SW

yes We used to get samples of pesticides in assorted soft drinks bottles at one time.

During my HSE days I came across spare brake fluid or some other yellowish liquid decanted into a whisky bottle in a vehicle garage - it looked just like whisky but didn't smell like it. This led to very prompt action being taken to re-decant the liquid into a suitably labelled non-beverage container before any harm occurred. One tragic case I did read of in the late 1980s involved a young man helping a friend who had started to run a pub in North Derbyshire. He took a sip from a lemonade bottle behind the bar and needed urgent hospital treatment. It transpired that the previous landlord had aparently decanted spare caustic soda solution (used for cleaning out the beer pump pipes) into the bottle and then forgot about it. Despite surgery the tube between the man's throat and stomach was irreparably damaged. Consequently he could never eat or drink by mouth again and instead had to use an artificial tube connected to his stomach. The last I saw about the case was a local press report which mentioned that he was suing the former landlord for negligence. However, I don't know the outcome. Nevertheless, the circumstances provide a very strong lesson against decanting substances into inappropriate containers, especially ones associated with beverages.

Linda - Since my posting last night I've managed to find on the internet more details about the pub incident at internethttp://www.thefreelibrar...alls+how+a...-a082169454 On a wider note it's understandable why empty drinks bottles tend to be used for other substances. They're readily available and evidently handy. Also, I wager that at least some forum users have one or more household chemicals in non-proprietary containers at home. I think I've got a chemical in an old glass vinegar bottle on a shelf in my garage, albeit - I should stress - with the original vinegar label removed or obscured and replaced by a label to identify its current contents. Also, my wife and I have long used a small 25cl plastic lemonade bottle for holding detergent for hand washing clothes while away on holiday. It's small, unbreakable and, crucially, re-labelled and marked to avoid anyone thinking that it contains anything drinkable. That reminds me, as I'm currently on holiday off the West Coast of Scotland, I need to wash my shirt and socks after a strenuous mountain walk yesterday and then set off for another shorter walk today, hopefully after the rain stops and with a breeze to keep the dreaded midges at bay!

Not really related, but my mother used to store potcheen in a wine bottle labelled POISON,

thank you everyone for your contributions - all most helpful :-)