A Test for Level of Alcohol Intoxication in the Rat

Abstract

In testing, the animal is placed head toward the upward slope on a plate with rough surface, the plate is tilted, and the angle at which the animal slides down is recorded. Fine mesh wire grid and hard board are used in succession. A value obtained immediately before alcohol administration is employed as the reference basis, and impairment of performance is calculated as percentage deviations from this initial value. Using a group of 9 rats, 5 intoxication levels could be distinguished with dosage ranging from 0 to 7.2 mg of orally administered ethanol per gram of body weight. Within this dosage range the effect of alcohol is proportional to the dosage and the blood alcohol concentration.