Comments on: The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/ Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:35:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Information On Bad Breath http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-36683 Information On Bad Breath Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:06:01 +0000 http://duiblog.level2hosting.com/?p=113#comment-36683 <strong>Information On Bad Breath...</strong> [...]DUI BLOG: The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests[...]... Information On Bad Breath…

[…]DUI BLOG: The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests[…]…

]]> By: bad breath http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-31975 bad breath Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:10:07 +0000 http://duiblog.level2hosting.com/?p=113#comment-31975 <strong>bad breath...</strong> [...]DUI BLOG: The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests[...]... bad breath…

[…]DUI BLOG: The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests[…]…

]]> By: DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-2245 DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:54:24 +0000 http://duiblog.level2hosting.com/?p=113#comment-2245 [...] Why Breathalyzers Don’t Measure Alcohol Can Body Temperature Affect Breathalyzer Results? The Effect of Anemia of Breath Tests GERD, Acid Reflux and False Breathalyzer Results Driving Under the Influence of….Gasoline? [...] […] Why Breathalyzers Don’t Measure Alcohol Can Body Temperature Affect Breathalyzer Results? The Effect of Anemia of Breath Tests GERD, Acid Reflux and False Breathalyzer Results Driving Under the Influence of….Gasoline? […]

]]> By: DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-184 DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution Fri, 19 Jan 2007 23:11:01 +0000 http://duiblog.level2hosting.com/?p=113#comment-184 [...] All states now have two drunk driving laws: (1) driving under the influence of alcohol (aka “DUI”, with local variations, such as “driving while intoxicated” or “DWI”), and (2) the so-called per se law of driving with .08% or higher blood-alcohol concentration (BAC). Most of those arrested will be charged and prosecuted for both offenses. The breath machines (commonly — and inaccurately — referred to as “Breathalyzers”) used to obtain the BAC are, obviously, critical to the drunk driving case. As for the per se offense, the only evidence of the crime is the machine: if the thing says .08% or higher and the jury believes it, the defendant is guilty. And even as to the DUI charge, the readings will be considered presumptive: if the BAC is .08% or higher, the jury will be instructed by the judge that the defendant is presumed guilty — and he must be found guilty unless he can prove his innocence (I’ve discussed this in “Whatever Happened to the Presumption of Innocence?“). These machines are all-important: they determine guilt or innocence. But their manufacturers continue to assure us that they are “state of the art”. So how accurate are they? Well, as I’ve written in the past, not very: Breathalyzers — and Why They Don’t Work Close Enough for Government Work The Mouth Alcohol Problem Breathalyzers: Why Aren’t They Warranted to Measure Alcohol? Driving Under the Influence of….Bread? Warning: Breathalyzer in Use Breath Fresheners and Breathalyzers Diabetes and the Counterfeit DUI Why Breathalyzers Don’t Measure Alcohol Can Body Temperature Affect Breathalyzer Results? The Effect of Anemia of Breath Tests GERD, Acid Reflux and False Breathalyzer Results Driving Under the Influence of….Gasoline? Do Breathalyzers Discriminate Against Women? Breathalyzer Inaccuracy: Testing During the Absorptive State Breathalyzer Inaccuracy: Post-Absorptive Breathalyzer Inaccuracy….It Gets Worse Warning: Smoking Can be Hazardous to Breathalyzer Results How to Fool the Breathalyzer Breathalyzer Manufacturers Won’t Tell How They Work [...] […] All states now have two drunk driving laws: (1) driving under the influence of alcohol (aka “DUI”, with local variations, such as “driving while intoxicated” or “DWI”), and (2) the so-called per se law of driving with .08% or higher blood-alcohol concentration (BAC). Most of those arrested will be charged and prosecuted for both offenses. The breath machines (commonly — and inaccurately — referred to as “Breathalyzers”) used to obtain the BAC are, obviously, critical to the drunk driving case. As for the per se offense, the only evidence of the crime is the machine: if the thing says .08% or higher and the jury believes it, the defendant is guilty. And even as to the DUI charge, the readings will be considered presumptive: if the BAC is .08% or higher, the jury will be instructed by the judge that the defendant is presumed guilty — and he must be found guilty unless he can prove his innocence (I’ve discussed this in “Whatever Happened to the Presumption of Innocence?“). These machines are all-important: they determine guilt or innocence. But their manufacturers continue to assure us that they are “state of the art”. So how accurate are they? Well, as I’ve written in the past, not very: Breathalyzers — and Why They Don’t Work Close Enough for Government Work The Mouth Alcohol Problem Breathalyzers: Why Aren’t They Warranted to Measure Alcohol? Driving Under the Influence of….Bread? Warning: Breathalyzer in Use Breath Fresheners and Breathalyzers Diabetes and the Counterfeit DUI Why Breathalyzers Don’t Measure Alcohol Can Body Temperature Affect Breathalyzer Results? The Effect of Anemia of Breath Tests GERD, Acid Reflux and False Breathalyzer Results Driving Under the Influence of….Gasoline? Do Breathalyzers Discriminate Against Women? Breathalyzer Inaccuracy: Testing During the Absorptive State Breathalyzer Inaccuracy: Post-Absorptive Breathalyzer Inaccuracy….It Gets Worse Warning: Smoking Can be Hazardous to Breathalyzer Results How to Fool the Breathalyzer Breathalyzer Manufacturers Won’t Tell How They Work […]

]]> By: DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-160 DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:30:11 +0000 http://duiblog.level2hosting.com/?p=113#comment-160 [...] I mentioned in my previous post that the single greatest flaw in so-called “breathalyzers” is that they are designed to assume that all humans are physiologically identical. This is, of course, a false assumption, and I have mentioned examples in other posts of erroneous breath analysis attributable to human variability. In the coming days, I will take a look at some further examples. Let’s take a look at one….. [...] […] I mentioned in my previous post that the single greatest flaw in so-called “breathalyzers” is that they are designed to assume that all humans are physiologically identical. This is, of course, a false assumption, and I have mentioned examples in other posts of erroneous breath analysis attributable to human variability. In the coming days, I will take a look at some further examples. Let’s take a look at one….. […]

]]> By: DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution http://www.duiblog.com/2005/02/25/the-effect-of-anemia-on-breath-tests/comment-page-1/#comment-118 DUI BLOG : Bad Drunk Driving Laws, False Evidence and a Fading Constitution Mon, 11 Dec 2006 21:32:13 +0000 http://duiblog.level2hosting.com/?p=113#comment-118 [...] As I have said in earlier posts, law enforcement investigation techniques depend largely upon the premise that all humans are physiologically identical (see “Convicting the Average DUI Suspect“). Without that presumption, field sobriety and breath alcohol tests would not be possible. Unfortunately, the premise is always false. I’ve written about many examples of physiological differences — from person to person and within one person from moment to moment — which will directly alter breath or blood alcohol testing (see, for example, “Diabetes and the Counterfeit DUI“, “GERD, Acid Reflux and False Breathalyzer Results“, “The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests” and “Do Breathalyzers Discriminate Against Women?“). Yet another example of variability is body temperature. Put simply, an individual’s body temperature will have a direct effect on the results of a breath test. The effects of changes in body temeprature from the norm of 98.6 degrees on breath testing has been discussed in an article entitled “Body Temperature and the Breathalyzer Boobytrap”, 721 Michigan Bar Journal (September 1982). If because of illness, for example, the body temperature is elevated by only 1 degree Centrigrade (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the 1:2100 breath-to-blood partition ratio used by breathalyzers will be altered so as to produce a 7 percent higher test result. Higher body temperatures will, of course, result in even greater errors. Dr. Michael Hlastala, Professor of Physiology, Biophysics and Medicine at the University of Washington, confirms this. In an article entitled “Physiological Errors Associated with Alcohol Breath Testing”, 9(6) The Champion 18 (1985), he notes that even the average body temperature of a normal, healthy person “may vary by as much as 1 degree Centigrade above or below the normal mean value of 37 degrees Centigrade — or 1.8 degrees from the mean value of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit”. Not only can the normal mean body temperature of an individual vary from that of other persons, but the “temperature of any individual may vary from time to time during the day by as much as 1 degree Centigrade”. Result? The partition ratio for alcohol in blood is altered — meaning, according to Professor Hlastala, a 6.3 percent error for every 1 degree Centigrade increase or decrease from the presumed normal body temperature. Yet another example of how breathalyzers are not actually testing you. Instead, they are testing an “average” person who does not exist. But you are the one who gets convicted. Share: [...] […] As I have said in earlier posts, law enforcement investigation techniques depend largely upon the premise that all humans are physiologically identical (see “Convicting the Average DUI Suspect“). Without that presumption, field sobriety and breath alcohol tests would not be possible. Unfortunately, the premise is always false. I’ve written about many examples of physiological differences — from person to person and within one person from moment to moment — which will directly alter breath or blood alcohol testing (see, for example, “Diabetes and the Counterfeit DUI“, “GERD, Acid Reflux and False Breathalyzer Results“, “The Effect of Anemia on Breath Tests” and “Do Breathalyzers Discriminate Against Women?“). Yet another example of variability is body temperature. Put simply, an individual’s body temperature will have a direct effect on the results of a breath test. The effects of changes in body temeprature from the norm of 98.6 degrees on breath testing has been discussed in an article entitled “Body Temperature and the Breathalyzer Boobytrap”, 721 Michigan Bar Journal (September 1982). If because of illness, for example, the body temperature is elevated by only 1 degree Centrigrade (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the 1:2100 breath-to-blood partition ratio used by breathalyzers will be altered so as to produce a 7 percent higher test result. Higher body temperatures will, of course, result in even greater errors. Dr. Michael Hlastala, Professor of Physiology, Biophysics and Medicine at the University of Washington, confirms this. In an article entitled “Physiological Errors Associated with Alcohol Breath Testing”, 9(6) The Champion 18 (1985), he notes that even the average body temperature of a normal, healthy person “may vary by as much as 1 degree Centigrade above or below the normal mean value of 37 degrees Centigrade — or 1.8 degrees from the mean value of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit”. Not only can the normal mean body temperature of an individual vary from that of other persons, but the “temperature of any individual may vary from time to time during the day by as much as 1 degree Centigrade”. Result? The partition ratio for alcohol in blood is altered — meaning, according to Professor Hlastala, a 6.3 percent error for every 1 degree Centigrade increase or decrease from the presumed normal body temperature. Yet another example of how breathalyzers are not actually testing you. Instead, they are testing an “average” person who does not exist. But you are the one who gets convicted. Share: […]

]]>