Myth #15: The Alcohol Tested Is Alcohol The Defendant Drank
Alcohol Swab Is Okay
A recognized source of physical contamination is the use of alcohol containing swabs to disinfect the area of specimen collection in the living patient. This method of specimen contamination is well documented in the literature (Heise, 1959; Taberner, 1989; Goldfinger and Schaber, 1982) with appropriate admonitions against using alcohol swabs for this purpose.
William H. Anderson, Collection and Storage of Specimens for Alcohol Analysis, Medical-Legal Aspects of Alcohol 237, 239 (James C. Garriott ed., 4th ed. 2003)
Defending against DUI / DWI - Endogenous AlcoholIf for some reason large quantities of ethanol are synthesized in the gastro-intestinal tract and overwhelm the capacity of the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, then much higher concentrations of EE should appear in the peripheral venous blood. This is exactly what was described in a group of Japanese subjects who were suffering from various disorders of the gut. Some had previously complained of experiencing feelings of drunkenness even without consumption of alcohol. This condition seemed to appear after the subjects had eaten a carbohydrate-rich meal, such as rice. This study from Japan was difficult to fault because ethanol was identified in the blood, urine, and breath with the aid of a reliable gas chromatographic method for quantitative analysis. The term used to describe this abnormal production of EE was ‘autobrewery syndrome’ and to our knowledge this has only been observed in Japanese subjects. It is widely known that the activity of alcohol metabolizing enzymes, especially aldehyde dehydrogenase, is different in Oriental populations compared with Caucasians, which might render Japanese and other Asians less able to clear ethanol from the portal blood. Other requirements before ‘autobrewery syndrome’ should be seriously considered as contributing to a person’s BAC include genetic predisposition (Oriental origin), a past history of gastrointestinal ailments, documented medical treatment for the problem, low tolerance to alcohol, and reports of fatigue and drunkenness after eating meals. Effective DUI / DWI Defense - Candida AlbicansIn this experiment Proteus vulgaris and a-streptocci produced relatively little ethanol, and this production was eliminated or reduced to undetetectable levels by flouride. However, Candida albicans produced a much greater amount of ethanol, and this production was not at all inhibited by flouride. Glendening and Waugh cite studies indicating the usefulness of fluoride in preserving specimens of blood from which ethanol determinations are to be made. Blackmore and Pleuckhalm and Ballard, reviewing the literature and presenting the result of their own extensive studies, point out the effect of microbial contamination on the production of ethanol in specimens of blood. They both suggest the use of sodium fluoride at a concentration of 1% for the preservation of blood specimens. While this is a worthwhile precaution, it appears that care should be taken to assure the sterility of the specimens nonetheless. Next article: Index: |
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