Entry into [mer Space
171
aimed at measuring the precise events occurring in the lungs of
animals breathing liquids. Using animals which were anaesthetized,
but kept at ordinary temperatures, he and his colleagues were able
to show that, when oxygen—enriched liquid was pumped in accur—
ately metered quantities, a dog would extract the same amount of
oxygen from it as from air during normal respiration. Once again
the carbon dioxide built up, and theoretical models based on these
and other results suggest that retention of this gas may be inevitable
in view of the basic structure of the gas exchange system in the
lung. Other American scientists, Leland C. Clark, ]nr., and Frank
Gollan, have attempted to solve the problem by using certain
silicone oils and uoro—carbon liquids in which oxygen and carbon
dioxide are very soluble. Experimenting with mice, they have found
that, providing the animals are cooled, they can survive many hours
in a uorocarbon liquid with oxygen at atmospheric pressure. The
main dilculties appear to be the slow rate of respiration of the
viscous liquid and the risk of reaction by the delicate lung tissue to
the chemical.
ln spite of such drawbacks, the experiments in water—breathing
continue to progress, and in the August 1968 issue of the magazine,
Scientic American, Dr Kylstra reported on an experiment with a
human volunteer: ‘At the Duke Medical Center we use a new
method of treating certain lung disorders that is called lung lavage.
The method consists of washing the lungs one at a time with a
saline solution to remove pathological secretions from the air sacs
and bronchi. While one lung is being rinsed, the other breathes
gaseous oxygen. The fact that this operation can be conducted
successfully encouraged us to try an experiment for which a
courageous deep—sea diver, Francis ]. Falejczyk, volunteered. His
windpipe was anaesthetized and a double-tubed catheter was
inserted through it, one tube going to each lung. The air in one lung
was
replaced by a o-9 per
cent sàline solution at normal body
temperature. A “breathing” process consisting of adding more
saline solution to the lung and draining an equal amount was then
repeated seven times with 500 millilitres of solution used for each
breath. Falejczyk, who remained fully conscious during the pro—
cedure, told us afterward that the liquid—lled lung had not felt
noticeably different from the gas—lled one, and that he had had no
unpleasant sensations from the ow of liquid into and out of it. Of
course this test was very different from trying to breathe water with
171
aimed at measuring the precise events occurring in the lungs of
animals breathing liquids. Using animals which were anaesthetized,
but kept at ordinary temperatures, he and his colleagues were able
to show that, when oxygen—enriched liquid was pumped in accur—
ately metered quantities, a dog would extract the same amount of
oxygen from it as from air during normal respiration. Once again
the carbon dioxide built up, and theoretical models based on these
and other results suggest that retention of this gas may be inevitable
in view of the basic structure of the gas exchange system in the
lung. Other American scientists, Leland C. Clark, ]nr., and Frank
Gollan, have attempted to solve the problem by using certain
silicone oils and uoro—carbon liquids in which oxygen and carbon
dioxide are very soluble. Experimenting with mice, they have found
that, providing the animals are cooled, they can survive many hours
in a uorocarbon liquid with oxygen at atmospheric pressure. The
main dilculties appear to be the slow rate of respiration of the
viscous liquid and the risk of reaction by the delicate lung tissue to
the chemical.
ln spite of such drawbacks, the experiments in water—breathing
continue to progress, and in the August 1968 issue of the magazine,
Scientic American, Dr Kylstra reported on an experiment with a
human volunteer: ‘At the Duke Medical Center we use a new
method of treating certain lung disorders that is called lung lavage.
The method consists of washing the lungs one at a time with a
saline solution to remove pathological secretions from the air sacs
and bronchi. While one lung is being rinsed, the other breathes
gaseous oxygen. The fact that this operation can be conducted
successfully encouraged us to try an experiment for which a
courageous deep—sea diver, Francis ]. Falejczyk, volunteered. His
windpipe was anaesthetized and a double-tubed catheter was
inserted through it, one tube going to each lung. The air in one lung
was
replaced by a o-9 per
cent sàline solution at normal body
temperature. A “breathing” process consisting of adding more
saline solution to the lung and draining an equal amount was then
repeated seven times with 500 millilitres of solution used for each
breath. Falejczyk, who remained fully conscious during the pro—
cedure, told us afterward that the liquid—lled lung had not felt
noticeably different from the gas—lled one, and that he had had no
unpleasant sensations from the ow of liquid into and out of it. Of
course this test was very different from trying to breathe water with