A 24-year-old Italian who tried to commit suicide by swallowing a large amount of poison is being kept alive in Australia by being fed vodka through a drip. Doctors in Queensland said they set up the drip after running out of medicinal alcohol which is used as an antidote to the poison.

"The patient was drip-fed about three standard drinks an hour for three days in the intensive care unit," Dr. Todd Fraser said. "Fortunately for him he was in a medically induced coma for a good portion of that."

"By the time he woke up, I think his hangover would have well and truly gone," he added.

The man was discharged after spending 20 days in the hospital.