MECHANICAL RESPIRATOR FOR NEWBORN INFANTS AND OTHER PATIENTS

In spite of the continued appearance of scientific evidence of the potential danger of any form of artificial respiration in the newborn infant, this type of therapy still seems to be used a good deal. One writer described the mechanics1that might operate to produce alveolar dilatation when increased pressure is employed to overcome atelectasis. Another author2recently showed sections of lung from a newborn infant who had received artificial respiration. There were areas of atelectasis adjacent to dilated alveoli and rupture of dilated terminal bronchioles allowing escape of air into the interstitial tissues, producing a dissecting emphysema; however, the same picture has been seen in babies who had not received any form of artificial respiration. This would imply that this damage could occur as the result of the patient's own efforts to inflate his lungs. In these cases, it is obvious that any measure that is employed