[On the detection of clomethiazole in urine (author's transl)]

It may become necessary to prove that clomethiazole (Distraneurin) has been taken when supervising addicts, with traffic accidents under the influence of drugs and when the cause of death is unclear. Since the compound is almost completely metabolized in the body, a method has been developed to detect its main metabolite, 4-methyl-5-thiazole acetic acid in the urine. The acid can be precisely identified and determined by a combination of selective extractions, high-voltage electrophoresis and UV measurements.