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In a message dated 12/23/98 7:21:20 PM Central Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: << >>>(when in reality, the disease is methanol toxicity), most of the symptoms >>>disappear. We have seen cases where their vision has returned and even >>>their hearing has returned. This also applies to cases of tinnitus. >> Unsolicited but (I hope) interesting comment : Methyl alcohol itself is not very toxic. However, formaldehyde (a major intermediate step in the metabolism of methanol) is used in embalming because it coagulates protein. Given that, one would not expect any reversibility in the damage from "methanol poisoning." The same enzymes are responsible for one of the first steps in breaking down both methyl and ethyl alcohol. Methyl alcohol produces the highly toxic formaldehyde. Ethyl alcohol (the kind found in booze), produces the far more benign ethyl aldehyde. Methanol poisoning is treated by hospitalizing the patient and saturating these enzymes with ethanol. In lay terms the patient is made and kept drunk as a skunk until the methanol is all excreted. Thus, formaldehyde exposure is prevented. Regards, WHH 55/38/37