An Experimental Study on the Pulmonary Effects of Smoke Inhalation

Abstract

To elucidate the patterns of acute death, the differences of toxicity of materials combusted, and histopathologic changes in lung of smoke inhalation injury, a hundred and ninty-six mice were exposed to the smokes of lauan, plywood, curtain and carpet The rates of acute death varied with materials combusted; the higher mortality rates were obtained during the combustion of synthetic fabrics as carpet and curtain than in pyrolysis of lauan and plywood. The acute increase of carbon monoxide during incomplete combustion and the injury by the noxious gases are known for the main casuses of acute death in fire accident The pathologic findings were not specific for the materials, but the edema of pulmonary interstitium was outstanding, accompanied with alveolar edema, localized atelectasis, congestion and the hyaline membranes. The water content of lung could be measured quantitatively by freeze-drying, which fairly correlated with the degree of the interstitial edema. (R=O.835)(P<O.OOl)