Use of an alcometer in a casualty department

The use of a fuel cell alcometer for breath testing of blood alcohol concentrations of road crash casualties in a casualty department has been evaluated. A high correlation (r=0.89) was shown between the alcometer breath test results and those obtained by blood analysis at the Victoria Police Forensic Laboratory on 100 road crash casualties. The fuel cell alcometer breath test results were above the legal limit (0.05 g/100 mL) in all casualties in whom the blood analysis result exceeded this level. The facility of obtaining an immediate blood alcohol concentration through the use of a fuel cell alcometer permits the early identification and referral of patients with high blood alcohol concentrations to Alcohol and Drug-dependent Services. After further experience, the fuel cell alcometer may also gain a place as a screening device in Australian States which have enacted legislation for compulsory blood alcohol tests on adult road crash casualties. If so, it could obviate the need to take blood from casualties with a negative alcohol concentration.