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Three cases of lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) are described. Lung biopsies demonstrated a similar characteristic histologic appearance of diffuse interstitial lymphocytes. Two had increased IgM. One patient developed a reticulum cell sarcoma. All were treated with prednisone but only one improved.

(1)Barium sulfate bronchograms were performed in 91 patients in an effort to establish the characteristics of cavitary lesions demonstrated by other radiographic techniques.(2)A positive “wall sign” indicating phagocytosis of the barium sulfate particles into the wall of the cavity was found in 32 of the 43 patients in whom the cavity was filled during bronchography.(3)It is suggested that the presence of a positive “wall sign” is an indication of infection in the wall of the cavity and may have significance in differentiating between an active tuberculous cavity and an “open healed” cavity.

1.This report presents the results of post-mortem function and structure measurements and their correlations in 139 normal lungs and 101 lungs with centrilobular emphysema (CLE).2.Total lung volume is consistently increased above normal in lungs with CLE even when the disease is discovered incidentally in persons dying of other diseases, including trauma. The greater the extent of emphysema, the larger the total lung volume.3.The one-second expiratory volume is slightly lower than normal in lungs with slight emphysema and is markedly reduced in lungs with moderate or severe disease, i.e. more than 30 per cent.4.These data are interpreted as supporting the conclusion that emphysema causes expiratory air-flow obstruction rather than air-flow obstruction being the cause of emphysema.

A model for emphysema was produced in Syrian hamsters by one intratracheal injection of 1 mg of purified papain in saline solution. Papain produced pulmonary edema and hemorrhage initially but after four days collagen was lost from alveolar walls. Departitioning of alveoli occurred despite normal synthesis of lecithin and, probably, increased synthesis of protein. Total lung protein, collagen, and elastin did not change. Alveolar basement membrance connective tissue, particularly collagen, was digested but repair was stimulated as judged from cellular changes and protein synthesis rates. Two interpretations are possible: either collagen is redistributed in alveoli by digestion and synthesis with loss of interstitial connective tissue or the collagen content in alveolar walls is so small a proportion of total lung collagen that its disappearance was not measured.

Eleven beagles were exposed to nitrogen dioxide in concentrations ranging from 3 to 16 ppm for one hour. Two control dogs were air-ventilated for one hour. Widespread bleb formation, loss of pinocytotic vesicles, and mitochondrial swelling of endothelial cells ensued. Intraalveolar edema occurred in most dogs exposed to 7 ppm NO2 or higher and membrane damage without edema occurred in the others. Intraalveolar edema by light microscopy was associated with impaired surfactant activity and lung compliance. Exposure to NO2 of 5 ppm or greater resulted in decrease of recovered lung lavage saturated lecithin. Exposure to 3 ppm NO2 resulted in bleb formation in alveolar endothelium without biochemical or physiological changes.