Hot Tub Mystery Answers
Part I 1) The paramedics on the scene observed empty bottles of wine around the perimeter of the hot tub. The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Underhill lie at the bottom of the tub which had a noticeably above average temperature. The couple was determined to have been dead long before the paramedics arrived. It was also mentioned that Mr. Underhill had taken Lasix before entering the hot tub. 2) Based on these observations the investigators should ask the maid why the hot tub was at an unsafe temperature. Other areas of concern include the medication Mr. Underhill was on, what time the maid got home, and how long the Underhill’s had been dead upon arrival. 3) The assumed physiological effects of this scenario include, blood alcohol level, the medication Lasix used to lower Mr. Underhill’s blood pressure, and the hazardous heat of the hot tub. 4) Alcohol causes hypertension, or an increased blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. It also acts to expand blood vessels and raise the body temperature to unsafe levels rapidly. Common side-effects of consuming alcohol in a hot tub include; loss of consciousness, heart attack, or injury due to fainting. Mr. Underhill’s medication Lasix, is classified as a water pill, which causes the kidneys to remove unneeded water and salt from the body through the process of urination. Lasix also makes those using it more susceptible to dehydration. Anyone on blood pressure medication should not enter a hot tub because of the blood pressure raising effects. Hot water temperatures can elevate body temperature inside the internal organs to perilous levels. 5) Based on the information given I would speculate that Mr. Underhill’s death was possibly the result of combining high blood pressure medication and alcohol. The blood pressure medication with alcohol potentially