An old man in Chongqing has devised a stomach-churning method of cough suppression: drinking kerosene and petrol.

Chen Dejun, 71, said he's been downing the noxious brew regularly for 42 years, on average quaffing about seven liters per month.

He said his bizarre habit started in 1969 after doctors were unable to treat a serious cough he'd come down with.

"Nothing these conventional doctors could do would help," he said.

Hearing that drinking kerosene could help, Chen decided to test out the advice by drinking a small cup. At first feeling a strong burning in his chest, he later discovered his cough had gotten substantially better.

Since then he became a veritable kerosene addict, until about 10 years ago, when kerosene became harder to come by - and he turned to gasoline instead.

"If the kerosene was a palliative then the gasoline is a genuine cure-all," Chen said. "It works like a charm and tastes much better, too."

An acquaintance, Yang Yunming, said that Chen's petrol pot is to him what a wine bottle is to a drunkard.

"They practically inseparable," Yang said.

Despite strong exhortations from family members to cease his unsavory habit, Chen said he has no intention to stop, even moved out of his family home eight years ago to live on a small plot of land, growing corn and Chinese sorghum - the proceeds of which go right back into buying more gasoline.

For their part, doctors said Chen suffers from pulmonary emphysema, a serious condition but that he's in far, far better condition than they'd expect from someone with his odd habits.

Chongqing Evening News