Mucous Flow and Ciliary Activity in the Trachea of Rats Exposed to Pulmonary Irritant Gas

Abstract

In the field of occupational hygiene questions frequently arise concerning the effect on the respiratory tract of inhaled gases and of vapours from industrial solvents.The action of such agents is primarily on the mucosa of the respiratory tract.Any study of this question necessarily involves determination of the rates of mucous flow and ciliary beat and investigations of possible morphological changes.The literature contains a few reports dealing with mucous flow and ciliary activity in various animals, e.g., by Ballenger (1949), Gray (1923), Lucas (1932), andProetz (1933).Such studies, however, were not systematically carried out and did not pay sufficient attention to important