INHALATION PNEUMONIA. 
611 
It had also been shown experimentally that large quantities 
of water could be slowly introduced into the lungs through the 
trachea and become absorbed without untoward results, while a 
like volume introduced rapidly and persistently would produce 
profound disturbance and eventually death. Notwithstanding 
that absorption occurs more rapidly in the lungs than elsewhere 
in the body, excess of fluid effects material changes not only in 
the respiratory epithelium, but also in the blood in which any 
change must necessarily affect all other tissues. 
In an experiment at Lyon, France, under the direction of 
Gohier, 30 litres (7^ gals.) of water were injected into the 
trachea of a horse without causing death. In another case it 
required 40 litres (10 gals.) to kill the animal by suffocation. 
Colin (1873, Vol. 2, p. 109) experimenting along the same 
line introduced into the trachea of a horse by means of a special 
apparatus, 6 litres of water per hour at a temperature of 30 to 
35 degrees C., which was continued for 3^ hours, making a 
total of 20 litres, after which the animal was immediately de¬ 
stroyed, the bronchi! quickly opened, but found empty, all the 
water having been absorbed. 
In another horse he introduced into the trachea 25 litres of 
water in six hours, and bled him three times at intervals of two 
hours, obtaining 6 kilogrammes lbs.) of blood. The res¬ 
piratory mucosa absorbed all the water without apparent incon¬ 
venience to the animal. 
Intra-tracheal medication, though not in general use, has 
much to recommend it when rapid effects are desired, especially 
in those pulmonary diseases where antiseptics are indicated. 
Among the agents best adapted for this use, is hydrogen per¬ 
oxide, which is antiseptic, non-toxic, deodorant, styptic, and in • 
dilute solution non-irritant. 
With these facts and suggestions before us, two cases were 
presented at the clinics of the New York State Veterinary Col¬ 
lege, which served to invite more radical attempts at intra¬ 
tracheal medication than had previously to our knowledge been 
undertaken, the results of which were to us at once so unex- 
