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The potentials of a fetal incubator utilizing cutaneous respiration have been discussed, and the use of a simple pressure chamber with controlled temperature, suitable for small newborn mammals and human fetuses, has been described.

Tracheal fluid production was studied in 7 goat and 13 sheep intrauterine fetuses over variable lengths of time and under different degrees of fetal distress. Once the initial tracheal fluid sample was collected, fetal tracheal fluid flow appeared to be minimal. In this study, the fetal lung demonstrated neither pigment excretion nor osmoregulatory or acid-base regulatory ability. When compared with the placenta or fetal kidney, the amount of chloride excreted by the fetal lung was negligible. The present study was unable to confirm a “renal” or any other function for the fetal lung.

This report includes an analysis of the clinical records of 132 patients with the diagnosis of irregular shedding of the endometrium by curettage timed to the fifth day or later of the menstrual period. The entire group was divided into a smaller group of 33 patients who had classical symptoms of irregular shedding without associated gynecologic pathology and a larger residual group of 99 patients who are designated as having atypical symptoms. Comparison of the two groups reveals differences that for the most part can be explained by the presence of associated pathology. We agree with previous observers who feel that irregular shedding is a clinical entity that may exercise its dysfunctional effect with or without associated gynecologic pathology.

Recordings of heart rate responses of fetuses and neonates were classified according to their reactive state. The reactive fetal response to uterine contractions was usually acceleration of heart rate in early labor and deceleration in late labor, while the nonreactive response was a steady heart rate throughout, unless it was depressed by severe fetal stress. The immediate neonate continued its recent in utero reactive pattern. Uterine and fetal scalp perfusion were evaluated with photoelectric plethysmographic blood volume pulse monitoring of lower uterus (or upper vagina), maternal hallux (big toe), and fetal scalp. Combined monitoring suggested that varying degrees of uterine hypoperfusion were apparently responsible for many fetal heart rate deceleration patterns. While standard interpretations of fetal heart patterns, particularly in the second stage of labor, correlated poorly with newborn Apgar scores, fetal reactive patterns and uterine hypoperfusion were relatively accurate parameters for estimating fetal health.

In the mouse, antibody directed against an immunoglobulin allotype, Ig-1b, passed from mother to offspring or injected into neonates, suppresses synthesis of immunoglobulin carrying Ig-1b. In allotype homozygotes as well as heterozygotes the allotype suppression is manifested both by a delay of several weeks in attaining initial detectable allotype levels and a reduction in allotype level continuing into adulthood. A possible mechanism for the differentiation of the immune system consistent with both the kinetics of suppression reported here for the mouse and the comparatively longer lived and more complete allotype suppression described for the rabbit is discussed. Evidence for a strong intralitter (as opposed to interlitter) correlation of age of onset of immunoglobulin allotype synthesis is presented.