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Intravenous injections of n-propanol (25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg) provoke blood concentration curves having exponential shapes of dose dependent rate constants after a sufficiently long time (2 min). They have to be seen therefore as a result of a non-linear elimination process controlled by a Michaelis-Menten-kinetic. Using the Lineweaver-Burk-method the characteristic data of metabolism are determined, namely the maximal velocity of metabolizing beta PrOHmax as 2.5 mg/l min and the Michaelis-Menten-constant as 10 mg/l. An increase of the ethanol exposition causes a prolongation of the mean residence time of n-propanol in the body. This phenomenon is to be interpreted as the result of an inhibition of the n-propanol metabolism by ethanol. The inhibition constant KPrOHEtOH concerned with this process is determined experimentally and has a value of 0.1%.

According to a footnote of the directions for driver selection tests ("Eignungsrichtlinien") of December 1, 1982, a medical and psychological examination can be disposed also with first drunkenness offenders. Against the design, partially realised in practice, to use not only the blood alcohol level as a screening criterion but also special circumstances of the case, objections are brought forward.

Review of literature. Already low dosis of alcohol damage gastric mucosa; alcohol especially causes erosions. In spite of acute damage there is no proven correlation between alcohol and chronic gastritis. HC1 secretion is stimulated by low dosis of alcohol only; higher dosis have no effect on acid secretion. Nevertheless beer or wine stimulate acid secretion very intensively by gastrin liberation. -Low concentrations of alcohol have no influence on gastric emptying, but higher concentrations delay emptying, solid meals more than liquid meals.

In a prospective study intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (less than 10. growth percentile at birth) was used as a predictor to diagnose intrauterine alcohol exposure. An interview about maternal alcohol consumption was performed prenatally--when IUGR was diagnosed by ultrasound--or postnatally. The children were followed up to 18 months of age. In 6/47 children we diagnosed various degrees of the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome FAS, with only one patient showing a full blown syndrome at birth. 5 patients could not be identified until the pediatric reexamination at the age of 8-18 months. IUGR and a maternal history of even moderate drinking during pregnancy should emphasize the possibility of an intrauterine alcohol damage, even in a normal child at birth.

A preliminary report is presented on the results achieved in the assessment and treatment of patients with intractable pain during the first six months experience gained following the appointment of a pain consultant at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Clinical Oncology. Nerve blockade was carried out 106 times in 45 patients suffering from primary or secondary malignant disease and 71 times in 18 patients with other conditions; intrathecal instillation of 96% alcohol was performed once and 2 chordotomies were also performed. One patient needed antidepressive therapy. Major questions relating to this problem are discussed. Gratifyingly satisfactory results were observed in more than two thirds of the patients. These objective findings and the subjective impressions obtained from patients, their relatives and our personnel prompted us to continue with this type of treatment for pain and to increase our efforts in this direction.

We analysed the sporicidal effect of different concentrations of aqueous and alcoholic peracetic acid (PAA) solutions on anthrax spores in suspension and germ carrier tests. In activation of anthrax spores in suspension assays was achieved in less than 2 min using 1% PAA solution and in less than 3 min using 0.5% PAA solution, respectively. In contrast, in germ carrier as says, a test under practical conditions, spores on 38% of the germ carriers survived treatment with 1% PAA solution for 15 min. The use of PAA in 80% ethyl alcohol outclassed the sporicidal effect of aqueous PAA solutions in both suspension and germ carrier assays. Anthrax spores on 14% of germ carriers tested survived 30 min of treatment with a 1% aqueous PAA solution. In contrast anthrax spores were reliably inactivated under the same test procedure using a 1% alcoholic PAA solution for 30 min. The proven enhancement of the sporicidal effect of alcoholic PAA solutions should be kept in mind when using disinfectants in practice. In further surveys we will optimise the test conditions.

When establishing threshold values for "driving under the influence of centrally acting compounds" it must be considered that many parameters have an important influence on the pharmacokinetic properties (e.g. volume of distribution, the elimination half-life, and the drug concentration in body fluids) and the pharmacodynamic action (e.g. impairment of skills related to driving). This article describes these inter-and intraindividual parameters from the pharmacokinetic (influence of body weight, age, gender, genetics, diseases, other compounds as ethanol and antacids, enzyme induction, enzyme inhibition, first-pass effects, pharmacokinetic interaction, chronopharmacokinetics, mode of application) and pharmacodynamic (tolerance, pharmacodynamic interaction, pharmacogenetic, chronopharmacodynamic, pathological alterations) point of view. The large variabilities clearly indicate, that preliminary threshold values should be chosen high enough to prevent prejudice of traffic participants. A "consensus value" could be established and continuously monitored by a commission. Beside this the high relevance of valid analytical investigations must be regarded.