Columbus Instruments Tail-Flick Analgesia Meter, Instruction Manual

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Appendix I
The recommended range of use (light intensity setting) for the Tail Flick is from 3
to 15. Anything higher than 15 is very hot! Care should be taken not to damage an
anesthetized or otherwise altered animal. Higher settings may be used however; the unit
should only be on for 2 to 3 seconds at the most without causing damage to the subject. If
you are unsure as to whether the setting may be causing damage or not, I recommend
setting the unit on automatic at the setting you are checking and use your finger across
the aperture. At intensity setting 10, the sensation of pain usually only takes about 2 –3
seconds. At setting 25 the unit will produce ~ 25 Watts of power.
The change in temperature experienced by the tail is derived from the following
formula:
Q = mc

T
Q = the quantity of heat
m = mass of the object (A rat-tail weighs ~15 – 20 grams, mouse ~ 2 grams.)
c = specific heat (capacity) (The specific heat # is a constant for specific
substances.)

T = Change in skin temperature over time
(The Tail Flick cycles for 60 seconds maximum.)
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