- Email: [email protected]
BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES.
787 TESTS FOR DRUNKENNESS.
Correspondence. "Audi alteraui partem."
BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES. To the Editor is
of
THE LANCET.
To the Editor
of THE LANCET.
SIR,—A great deal of interest has been aroused in the question of the insobriety of motor-drivers by numerous police-court cases which have been commented on in the press, and have often been the subject of conflicting evidence and appeals. Recently the British Medical Association appointed a Committee to inquire into the tests for drunkenness. Their results have now been published.1 The Cunmnittee’s recommendation for a new legal definition of drunkenness is one which will be commended by all who recognise that a man need not be grossly intoxicated by alcohol to render him unfit. to be in charge of a car. This point was stressed in a pamphlet published early in 1926 by The True Temperance Scientific Committee, under the title. "The Problem of the Intoxicated Motor-Driver." Coming now to the tests for drunkenness which the Committee favour, one doubts whether comnmendation will be as uniform, for of the various tests suggested, foremost rank is given to the test of smelling alcohol in the breath or vumit ; than which one ventures to suggest, a more unscientific test could not be found for the following reasons. 1. The concentration of alcohol in the exhaled breath is much more a function of the rate of blood supply to the lungs than it is to the concentration of alcohol in the blood. Consequently an accused, intoxicated to the stage of restlessness, may through his active movements be actually exhaling breath containing a greater concentration of alcohol than one dead drunk whose respirations are slow and
evidence that what are termed studies would be of advantage to many medical men. both by expanding and defining their outlook in relation to general or individual experiences and by affording assistance in the solution of practical difficulties. The need for clear thinking was never more apparent than it is to-day, when our expanded range of knowledge adds constantly to a stock of exact information, the bearings of which cannot be confined to any one branch of science but make themselves felt in every field. " What is it all about ? " is a question that every well-informed man asks himself when a mental problem, perhaps with a direct reference to action, presents itself to him in a form that is not dictated by his particular equipment. And the more wellinformed he is, the more clear will it be to him that he needs fundatmental guidance. In other words. he desires help in clear thinking. The recently-formed British Institute of Philosophical Studies exists in order to afford this help to those who need it. The general object of the Institute to bring leading exponents of various is stated thus : branches of philosophy into direct contaet with the general—ublic with the purpose of satisfying a need, shallow. 2. The application of the sense of smell is an uncerfelt by many men and women in every walk of life, for greater clearness and comprehensiveness of vision tain method of analysis. Not only does this sense vary in human affairs." enoimously between individuals but also in the same Medical men and women are to-day meeting many individual. The effect of a cold on the sense of smell difficulties that are arising through the vast develop- is a by-word. Also one wonders how the examining ment of their science—developments of knowledge, police surgeon’s olfactory sense will react if he of techniques and of administration; these are being himself has had alcohol previously with his dinner ? accompanied by a. broadening of view in their ranks, The Committee naively point out that the success and also by a multiplication of the relatiuns of of the olfactory method of diagnosis depends on the medicine to society brought about by far-reaching keenness of the sense of smell of the individual applyingchanges in the law. The position must therefore the test ! One ventures to think that the Report is an unhappy often arise when medical men or women need clearness and comprehensiveness of vision. They would effort to deal with the subject. It is a step backwards, benefit by an opportunity of taking counsel with for to urge the usefulness of the sense of smell in this those in other sections of activity, who may be connexion means nothing else. That senior police meeting their own problems from a different angle surgeons, many of whom are quite satisfied with the or who may be able to give an opinion on medical present day tests for drunkenness should favour this problems which gains in breadth and public influence particular test, is not surprising. but that an analytical from its detachment from medicine. Further, chemist and toxicologist of Sir William Willcox’s medicine by cooperation can confer on those other standing should .also subscribe to it is beyond one’s sections of activity the advantages of sharing con- comprehension. sidered medical opinion and of learning the arguments This is a subject in which the present writer is relied upon for its establishment. keenly interested, because he has been carrying out Sociological and psychological questions arise experimental work during the past four years which constantly out of all medical practice, and not only bears directly on this difficult problem. Some results out of those sides of medical practice apparently of this work were embodied in a paper by Drs. concerned with mental disease or moral conduct, Southgate and Carter,2 who showed that from an while metaphysics must play a part in any com- analysis of the alcohol in the urine not only could theprehensive attempt to distinguish between normal concentration of alcohol in the blood (the best index and abnormal conditions, physical or mental- of intoxication) be deduced, but also a close approximaindeed between health and disease. A general tion of the least amount of alcohol which had been philosophical equipment will be of great use to the drunk. The British Medical Association Committee, practitioner as a supplement to all detailed scientific whilst acknowledging the great value of this work from a scientific point of view, maintain that tests depending knowledge, for it will conduce to clear thinking. For these reasons we advocate the claims, on on the examination of the urine are not practicable. members of the profession, of the British Institute Why it is not practicable to examine the urine is not of Philosophical Studies, the temporary offices of stated. Is the difficulty a legal one ? One cannot which are at 88, Kingsway. The Hon. Secretary conceive why the police surgeon has a right to examinewould be glad to give any information desired. The the excretions from the lungs. or a return from the subscription payable by members of the Institute is stomach, and yet none to analyse the excretions from the kidneys. The impracticability cannot depend only £1Is. per annum. on difficulty of analysis, for an accurate analysis of We are, Sir, yours faithfully, alcohol in the urine can be carried out by any (Sgd.) DAWSON OF PENN. THOMAS HORDER. competent analytical chemist in half an hour. MITCHELL. T. W. HENRY HEAD. WILLIAM BROWN. H. CRICHTON-MILLER. 1 Summarised in Brit. Med. Jour., Feb. 19th, 1927. 2 THE LANCET, 1926, i., 207 ; Brit. Med. Jour., 1926, i., 463. 88, Kingsway, London, March 31st, 1927.
SIR,—There
generally philosophic
"
I
Correspondence. "Audi alteraui partem."
BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES. To the Editor is
of
THE LANCET.
To the Editor
of THE LANCET.
SIR,—A great deal of interest has been aroused in the question of the insobriety of motor-drivers by numerous police-court cases which have been commented on in the press, and have often been the subject of conflicting evidence and appeals. Recently the British Medical Association appointed a Committee to inquire into the tests for drunkenness. Their results have now been published.1 The Cunmnittee’s recommendation for a new legal definition of drunkenness is one which will be commended by all who recognise that a man need not be grossly intoxicated by alcohol to render him unfit. to be in charge of a car. This point was stressed in a pamphlet published early in 1926 by The True Temperance Scientific Committee, under the title. "The Problem of the Intoxicated Motor-Driver." Coming now to the tests for drunkenness which the Committee favour, one doubts whether comnmendation will be as uniform, for of the various tests suggested, foremost rank is given to the test of smelling alcohol in the breath or vumit ; than which one ventures to suggest, a more unscientific test could not be found for the following reasons. 1. The concentration of alcohol in the exhaled breath is much more a function of the rate of blood supply to the lungs than it is to the concentration of alcohol in the blood. Consequently an accused, intoxicated to the stage of restlessness, may through his active movements be actually exhaling breath containing a greater concentration of alcohol than one dead drunk whose respirations are slow and
evidence that what are termed studies would be of advantage to many medical men. both by expanding and defining their outlook in relation to general or individual experiences and by affording assistance in the solution of practical difficulties. The need for clear thinking was never more apparent than it is to-day, when our expanded range of knowledge adds constantly to a stock of exact information, the bearings of which cannot be confined to any one branch of science but make themselves felt in every field. " What is it all about ? " is a question that every well-informed man asks himself when a mental problem, perhaps with a direct reference to action, presents itself to him in a form that is not dictated by his particular equipment. And the more wellinformed he is, the more clear will it be to him that he needs fundatmental guidance. In other words. he desires help in clear thinking. The recently-formed British Institute of Philosophical Studies exists in order to afford this help to those who need it. The general object of the Institute to bring leading exponents of various is stated thus : branches of philosophy into direct contaet with the general—ublic with the purpose of satisfying a need, shallow. 2. The application of the sense of smell is an uncerfelt by many men and women in every walk of life, for greater clearness and comprehensiveness of vision tain method of analysis. Not only does this sense vary in human affairs." enoimously between individuals but also in the same Medical men and women are to-day meeting many individual. The effect of a cold on the sense of smell difficulties that are arising through the vast develop- is a by-word. Also one wonders how the examining ment of their science—developments of knowledge, police surgeon’s olfactory sense will react if he of techniques and of administration; these are being himself has had alcohol previously with his dinner ? accompanied by a. broadening of view in their ranks, The Committee naively point out that the success and also by a multiplication of the relatiuns of of the olfactory method of diagnosis depends on the medicine to society brought about by far-reaching keenness of the sense of smell of the individual applyingchanges in the law. The position must therefore the test ! One ventures to think that the Report is an unhappy often arise when medical men or women need clearness and comprehensiveness of vision. They would effort to deal with the subject. It is a step backwards, benefit by an opportunity of taking counsel with for to urge the usefulness of the sense of smell in this those in other sections of activity, who may be connexion means nothing else. That senior police meeting their own problems from a different angle surgeons, many of whom are quite satisfied with the or who may be able to give an opinion on medical present day tests for drunkenness should favour this problems which gains in breadth and public influence particular test, is not surprising. but that an analytical from its detachment from medicine. Further, chemist and toxicologist of Sir William Willcox’s medicine by cooperation can confer on those other standing should .also subscribe to it is beyond one’s sections of activity the advantages of sharing con- comprehension. sidered medical opinion and of learning the arguments This is a subject in which the present writer is relied upon for its establishment. keenly interested, because he has been carrying out Sociological and psychological questions arise experimental work during the past four years which constantly out of all medical practice, and not only bears directly on this difficult problem. Some results out of those sides of medical practice apparently of this work were embodied in a paper by Drs. concerned with mental disease or moral conduct, Southgate and Carter,2 who showed that from an while metaphysics must play a part in any com- analysis of the alcohol in the urine not only could theprehensive attempt to distinguish between normal concentration of alcohol in the blood (the best index and abnormal conditions, physical or mental- of intoxication) be deduced, but also a close approximaindeed between health and disease. A general tion of the least amount of alcohol which had been philosophical equipment will be of great use to the drunk. The British Medical Association Committee, practitioner as a supplement to all detailed scientific whilst acknowledging the great value of this work from a scientific point of view, maintain that tests depending knowledge, for it will conduce to clear thinking. For these reasons we advocate the claims, on on the examination of the urine are not practicable. members of the profession, of the British Institute Why it is not practicable to examine the urine is not of Philosophical Studies, the temporary offices of stated. Is the difficulty a legal one ? One cannot which are at 88, Kingsway. The Hon. Secretary conceive why the police surgeon has a right to examinewould be glad to give any information desired. The the excretions from the lungs. or a return from the subscription payable by members of the Institute is stomach, and yet none to analyse the excretions from the kidneys. The impracticability cannot depend only £1Is. per annum. on difficulty of analysis, for an accurate analysis of We are, Sir, yours faithfully, alcohol in the urine can be carried out by any (Sgd.) DAWSON OF PENN. THOMAS HORDER. competent analytical chemist in half an hour. MITCHELL. T. W. HENRY HEAD. WILLIAM BROWN. H. CRICHTON-MILLER. 1 Summarised in Brit. Med. Jour., Feb. 19th, 1927. 2 THE LANCET, 1926, i., 207 ; Brit. Med. Jour., 1926, i., 463. 88, Kingsway, London, March 31st, 1927.
SIR,—There
generally philosophic
"
I