What happens when people try to get drunk from products never meant to be consumed? In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains the forensic reality of non-beverage alcohol intoxication, from mouthwash and rubbing alcohol to antifreeze and even hairspray. He shares real cases and describes what these substances do to the body and how medical examiners determine cause and manner of death. What starts as a story about a childhood friend and bottles of Listerine leads into a forensic look at the deadly consequences of ingesting everyday household products.

If you or someone you know needs support for substance use, emotional distress, or thoughts of self-harm, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S.

Highlights

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

(0:15) “Minty Fresh”: the childhood friend who drank Listerine and even tried hairspray

(1:30) Household products people drink when regular alcohol is not available

(2:15) Why Listerine became the focus: easy access, high alcohol content, and deaths tied to mouthwash

(3:15) Alcohol by volume vs. proof: a quick lesson on intoxication math

(4:30) Acute alcohol poisoning: how blood alcohol rises, what overdose looks like, and when it turns fatal

(6:30) Mouthwash case study: a chronic alcohol user drinks multiple bottles of Listerine and is found collapsed at home

(7:30) High anion gap metabolic acidosis: what it is and why it explained the Listerine death

(11:00) Rubbing alcohol: a common toxic ingestion, including the risk of using isopropyl alcohol on children with a fever

(13:00) Antifreeze deaths: alcohol misuse, suicide, homicide, and why ethylene glycol is so dangerous

(15:45) Hairspray as a non-beverage alcohol, the “Ocean” preparation, and Dr. Crowns’ closing message

About the Host: 

Dr. Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationallyrecognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology.

About the Show

Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.

Connect and Learn More

Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on Linkedin. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts. If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself—follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.