From:	Sommers sommers@*****.umich.edu
Subject:	Survival
Date:	Mon, 05 Jun 2000 13:23:38 -0400

Around 01:13 PM 6/5/00, Gurth was mumbling about:
>According to Michael Schmidt, at 13:24 on 5 Jun 00, the word on the street
>was...
>
> > A rule of thumb exists named rule of six: 6 secs without air
>
>Wouldn't that be six minutes without air? I just went 6 seconds without
>breathing (according to my watch) and am still around to type this
>sentence :)

It is 6 minutes, although I think that there is 6 second rule, something
about tidal air maybe?

> > 6 days without water 6 weeks without food (always with lowest possible
> > stress; no work, nearly no movement, not tortured, ...).
>
>Like most such "rules" of thumb, it looks to me like a very rough
>approximation that's intended more for easy memorization than to give a
>reasonably accurate guide...

Yes there are people who can radically differ from those numbers, but it
actually does work out very well. This is not to say that if you last 5
(whatever) you're going to be fine. The 6 rule is more "if you go this far
you're dead" kind of thing. Brain damage will occur around 4-5 IIRC, and by
the 3rd or 4th day without water you're looking grim.

It is a good guide though.

Sommers
Aerospace engineers build weapon systems. Civil engineers build targets.