Lung changes and incidence of respiratory arrest in rats after aspiration of sea and fresh water

¹ Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Some effects of intratracheal administration of 0.1 ml/100 gm body weight of fresh and sea water were studied in intact and vagotomized rats. No local changes were seen in the lungs after fresh water inhalation. A marked increase in lung weight and intra-alveolar hemorrhages developed following the aspiration of sea water. Fatal respiratory arrest occurred in some cases of salt water and cold fresh water inhalation. Bilateral cervical vagotomy prior to the intratracheal fluid administration failed to affect the incidence of respiratory arrest.