Irish Peer To Undergo Drunkenness Tests

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 11

Irish Peer To Undergo Drunkenness Tests

(N2 P^A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, April 28. An Irish peer, the Earl of Arran, last night accepted an offer by a Government spokesman in the House of Lords to undergo a series of tests for drunkenness.

Lord Arran had been protesting against a bill providing for blood and breath tests for car drivers accused of dangerous driving. He had told the House of tests he had had for alcohol in the blood and urine under the control of his doctor.

The results had been “startling'' and cast grave doubts on the validity of these tests.

He urged that they should be abolished because they were misleading. Any attempt to set a universal standard of drunkenness must be unfair to the individual, he said. Lord Arran, who is 52. said he drank on a completely empty stomach two different Quantities of whisky—on the first occasion two double whiskies and on the second a quarter of a bottle, equivalent to four doubles. .

Amid laughter. Lord Arran said that he started both tests with about 50 milligrammes

of alcohol, or a volatile substance indistinguishable from alcohol in his blood. One might think he was in a ‘permanently pickled condition." he said.

But the biochemist who conducted the test with the doctor had. unknown to Lord Arran, tested himself. This showed that the biochemist started “with a load of 25 milligrammes." even though he had not had a drink for three or four days. The doctor, who was attached to the local hospital had said he would not have considered Lord Arran unfit to drive after the test. Lord Hailsham, Lord President of the Council, said if Lord Arran was willing he would arrange for him to undergo a series of tests, with the results published in a scientific journal. Lord Arran replied: “I accept, on condition that the cost of the alcohol is repaid to me.”