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In vitro nasal and tracheal ciliary beat frequencies (CBFs) were measured photometrically in brush samples of 15 patients undergoing bronchoscopy. Tracheal and nasal CBF values in these patients were found to be significantly correlated (r = .74, p less than .01), and the latter did not differ significantly from the nasal CBF of 80 subjects serving as controls. Premedication with morphine and atropine and local anesthesia with lidocaine hydrochloride significantly decreased the CBF. Among the control subjects, a significantly higher CBF (13.6 +/- 1.5 Hz) was found in the young age group (10 to 19 years) as compared to other groups (12.2 +/- 1.7 Hz). Gender and ethnic origin did not influence CBF in any age group. These data support the possible use of the in vitro study of nasal epithelium to reflect the CBF in the lower respiratory tract.

Mortalities and times of death of mice were measured, during several weeks, after single respiratory exposures to air containing either of the 4 chemicals. The toxicity sequence observed, at 320 ppm, was Cl2 greater than Br2 greater than CH2O greater than SO2. For CH2O and Br2 at constant concentration, time of death depended markedly on exposure duration. The scant literature data enabled comparison of results for SO2 only.

A technique is described for the collection of tracheobronchial secretions from the upper trachea of anesthetized dogs. The method is simple, relatively quantitative, and provides secretory material in quantity suitable for biochemical or rheological studies. In 42 experiments comprising 184 individual samples we have found the collection rate of tracheobronchial secretions to be 1.0 +/- 0.1 mg/min per kg (mean +/- SEM).