Anatomy and Physiology, Windham High School Case Study: The Hot Tub Mystery! Text taken and questions adapted from the following case study: House, Herbert. The Hot Tub Mystery: The Story of a Very HOT Tub. Buffalo: National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, 2005. PDF file. Part I—The Discovery Cast of Characters: • Sam Garrison—Detective • Roma and Clint Underhill—The “hot” couple • Kavita Dickson and Larry Gonzales—EMT paramedics • Renee Volenbach—Physiologist in the Biology Department at Noletown University Friday, 7PM
Roma and Clint Underhill had both had a long day. They were the owners of a successful real estate company in Desert Palm. Each had several clients, and the strain of the current real estate market was getting to them. It had been an unusually cool day for January, with temperatures hovering around ?? degrees. On coming home they decided to relax in their hot tub with some wine. While Roma changed from her work clothes, Clint said that he would join her in the hot tub after he took his Lasix. Saturday, 8AM “??? … Please state your emergency. ” Oh, Oh, I… I… ” “Ma’am, please calm down and tell me the address. ” “I think…, yes, OK, it’s… it’s ???? Oak Creek Drive. ” “What is the problem, please? ” “I’m the maid for Mr. and Mrs. Underhill and… and I didn’t find them in the house when I came in this morning, so I looked around outside. I just found them in their hot tub out back. They are under the water. Please come, please come now! ” “Yes, ma’am, I’m alerting the EMTs and an ambulance will be on the way. Please go out front and wait, so the paramedics can find the address quickly. ”
Saturday, 8:10AM Paramedics Kavita Dickson and Larry Gonzales brought the ambulance to a stop at the end of a long driveway next to an impressive two-story mansion. The maid was on the front steps and quickly directed them to the back patio where the hot tub could be seen. Empty bottles of wine were on the ledge surrounding the hot tub. Kavita quickly climbed up the steps and saw the bodies of the Underhills on the bottom of the hot tub. As she got into the water, she exclaimed, “This water seems really hot. Let’s see if we can get them out. Larry climbed in after her and together they dragged the bodies out of the hot tub and onto the patio. It was obvious that both had been dead for some time. Kavita called the dispatcher. “Listen, Linda, this hot tub case is a DOA, but something is not right. How about sending the medical examiner and a detective out to look the situation over. Tell them to bring a thermometer! ” Questions: Feel free to look up your answers, but cite your sources (URLs are fine) and DO NOT COPY AND PASTE! •What observations did the paramedics make?
Paramedics got what the blood alcohol level was of both go the bodies. Also how hot the hot tub was to see if that had anything to do with it. •List three factors that could have led to the Underhills’ death. How hot the hot tub was, the alcohol/wine bottles and the medication that he is taking •What are the physiological effects of alcohol? Focus on the effects of alcohol on the nervous system and on blood pressure. Moderate alcohol consumption can lower blood pressure but too much alcohol can raise blood pressure especially over time Why did Clint Underhill take Lasix? Why is it normally prescribed? It helps you break down salt lower cholesterol •Why would the temperature of the hot tub matter? It could have dehydrated them with how hot the water was. The temperature was six degrees high than what the maximum temperatures doctors recommend •Make an initial speculation about the cause of the Underhills’ death. Give reasons for your choice. I think they died of dehydration between the alcohol, the hot hot tub and the medicine it makes sense that all these things could have dehydrated their bodies.
