Location : Pharmacology Lab, Level 13
Time : Circa 2.30 ~ 4.00 PM

"Effect of Analgesics in Mice Using Hot Plate Method"

Mice A : Control
Mice B : Control
Mice C : Indomethacin
Mice D : Morphine

I was assigned to do the boring but important task, for control, where I need to administer distilled water to the mice and see its' reaction when put on a hot plate (55 degree celcius) for 15 seconds. The cut off time is to avoid injury to the mice. Our main objective is regarding analgesics, which is pain, so any injury would alter the result.

Once I'm done, I left the mice back to its' cage and observed my friends who were assigned for mice administered with Morphine. We calculated the volume based on its' mass, and Dr. Ram assisted us to administer the Morphine to the mice. He did it so gently! I guess this is what it meant when people say male doctors are nicer? After getting the injection, the mice were still active and healthy. We left it to calm and will bring it out on the hot pate 30 minutes later.

The Accident

Done observing, I moved to Indomethacin group. I was startled to see two fainted mice!! They were breathing harshly and were not moving even an inch. :( My friends were kinda traumatized because the mice died in her hand. Ha. It's impossible that we've miscalculated the dosage. After calling the lecturer, we decided to reduce the dosage. The third mice fainted too. This time was too bad, immediately after the injection, its' eyes sorta circulated (?) backwards and turned black. For your information, a normal eyes of a lab mice is red. I saw it clearly.

This group is the main attention now. Girls are crying.

We proceeded to the fourth mice. It fainted as well. It looks like in pain, being tortured, rather than a sedative effect, to be honest. Our first diagnose was the analgesic was too strong, that's why we decreased the dosage. Now we know, something is wrong with the drug itself. Dr open up the cover and it smelt of something else. Alcohol is I'm not mistaken. Oh God.

The analgesic was wrongly labelled by the lab technician.

I learnt a crucial lesson today. That's why it is important for a medical student to know basic laboratory knowledge, all the spotters, blood agar etc, to avoid these accidents. In this field, a simple carelessness can lead to death. Today was four mice, a sum amount enough for me, though some were joking around just because it's a mice. Every lives counts.

What if it was a human?