A YouTube clip of eight Dunedin students chugging beer from a homemade ''Octobong'' is proving a worldwide hit.
However, the graphic ''50-Beer Funnel'' video, which as of yesterday had been watched more than 126,000 times on the video-sharing website, has raised concerns among health professionals.
Health Promotion Agency policy, research and advice general manager Dr Andrew Hearn told the Otago Daily Times ''Glorification of this type of behaviour is all too common.
''Unfortunately, it frequently also leads to harm.''
The clip, filmed on a video camera attached to a participant's head, shows a large bucket of beer being poured into a cut-down water-cooler container.
The container, which sits on a wooden support and is plumbed with eight valve-controlled plastic hoses, is shown being lifted on to two wheelie bins.
The eight men then open the valves and drink deeply, egged on by onlookers. Some are unable to keep the beer down.
The video which is promoted as being from, ''Dunedin, New Zealand'', includes the comment: ''Made this as a project over the summer holidays for my flatmates and I to have fun with''.
''About six beers each in 45 seconds. Hence the result.''
Since the video was uploaded in September it had featured on several United States' college-oriented websites The University of Otago declined to comment on the clip.
