 Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton (qv)) dies of "skin suffocation" by  being coated in gold, a complication that, despite popular belief,  has no basis in fact. The belief depends on the incorrect  supposition that respiration occurs, at least in part, through the  skin, a fallacy that has been discredited in scientific circles  since the Renaissance. Despite periodic debunking in the popular  media (especially noteworthy is a 1978 column of the syndicated  newspaper feature, "The Straight Dope", and a 2003 episode of the  Discovery Channel series, _"MythBusters" (2003)_ (qv)), a widespread  belief in the myth of "skin suffocation" still exists. The myth was  further bolstered by rumors that Shirley Eaton had actually died on  set from asphyxiation due to the gold paint.