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Can one fake death, like in ''Four Feathers''? | 165930__heath_l
TO DIE 'FOUR'? Is there really a potion that simulates ones death?
The Four Feathers: Jaap Buitendijk

Q In ''The Four Feathers,'' Heath Ledger escapes prison by drinking a potion that simulates his own demise. Do such elixirs exist?

A There's no classic recipe, but certain opiates would do the trick, according to Dr. Steven Seifert, poison specialist at Children's Hospital in Omaha. ''A high amount of morphine or opium would depress respiration, and you could get very pale as a result -- enough to possibly give you the appearance of death.'' And though humans can go up to five minutes without oxygen, Seifert warns against experimenting at home. ''It's a dangerous business, because if you're not careful, you run the risk of [temporary death] becoming long-term.''

(Send queries to BurningQuestions@ew.com)


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Posted Oct 04, 2002 | Published in issue #675-676 Oct 04, 2002 | Order Article Reprints