Bedside testing

During an international clinical chemistry congress in Helsinki, a Finnish participant invited a Scottish colleague in for drinks in his hotel room. The bottle of vodka was soon empty, but the host said: "Let's buy more liquor down in the harbour". Back in the hotel the host decided to test the bottle for methanol, not wanting to put the guest in danger of getting blind. The Finn poured a drop of the content on his finger and using one of the oldest clinical chemistry methods, tasting, immediately discovered that he had been cheated, expert as he was on tasting liquors. Disgustedly he began to empty the bottle in the bathroom sink. Then the Scott said: "No, no, no, please give the bottle to me. I will give it to my brother, he is already blind".

Recollected by Nils Tryding, Kristianstad