Alcohol and drowning in Cape Town. A preliminary report.

The literature on alcohol and drowning is reviewed, and the possible mechanisms of action of alcohol in drowning discussed. A 3-year enquiry into the role of alcohol in drowning in greater Cape Town shows that a large percentage of adult victims of drowning were under the influence of alcohol at the time. Recommendations are made to increase public awareness of the hazards related to the consumption of alcohol while engaging in aquatic activity.