Diagnostic chemistry system tests the illusionist's urine to discover unmistakeable signs of starvation, and providing rare opportunity for newspaper headlines
Results from a Bayer Diagnostics Advia 1650 chemistry system have dispelled rumours that illusionist David Blaine might secretly be eating during his bid to survive 44 days without food in a plastic box suspended above the Thames.
Samples of the illusionist's urine were analysed on one of the Advia 1650 systems installed in the biochemistry laboratory at Southampton General Hospital, revealing a high ketones count of 16mmol/l. This measurement, combined with very low readings for sodium and chloride, was declared by Professor Marinos Elia of the hospital's Institute of Human Nutrition as "entirely consistent with someone who is starving".
The analysis was performed exactly half way through Blaine's controversial stunt, leaving the illusionist with a further 22 days to go. Under predictable headlines on the theme of "taking the p***", accounts of the testing process appeared in both News Of The World and The Independent on Sunday 28 September, creating a rare opportunity for the work of biochemists to be brought to public attention.
Described in layman's terms by The Independent's journalist as "a machine that looks like a cross between a washing machine and a photocopier", the Advia 1650 was nevertheless credited for its outstanding speed of analysis with a full results profile being generated in just 20 minutes.
