Abstract
Cold $(0^{\circ}C)$ or warm $(25^{\circ}C)$ fresh and sea water were flooded into the lungs of rabbits through tracheal canule. Respiratory arrest ensued in 19.5 minutes in the warm fresh water flooded rabbits and was the longest survival time among the experimental groups. The survival times in the other groups were: 2.32 minutes in cold fresh water group, 2.75 minutes in .warm sea water group, and 4.57 minutes in cold sea water group. Cardiac output was measured by means of T-1824 dilution technique after 2 or 3 minutes of flooding in 27 rabbits. Blood pressure was observed by mercury manometer throughout the survival time in 40 rabbits. The following results were obtained. 1. Cardiac output in the warm fresh water flooded and sea water flooded animal was smaller than that of control rabbits. In the cold fresh water flooded animal cardiac output was greater than that of the control animal. 2. Time constants of T-1824 dilution curve of experimental group were elongated than the normal curve. 3. Central blood volume showed an increase in the fresh water group, a decrease in cold sea water group and no change in warm sea water group. 4. In all of the experimental groups arterial blood Pressure showed an abrupt and great variations after flooding of lungs and lasted about 30 seconds. Thereafter, arterial pressure remained at a plateau level until the sudden fall to zero and this was almost coincided with the time of respiratory arrest. The Plateau level of arterial Pressure in fresh water group was about 10 mmHg higher than the control value, and it was lower than the control value in warm sea water group. In cold sea water group the plateau was made up by fluctuations around the control value. 5. Osmosis of water through the lung alveolar membrane occured in all animals. Fresh water caused hemodilution and sea water caused hemoconcentration. 6. In sea water flooded animal more volume of water was recovered through the tracheal canule than the volume injected into trachea. This was interpreted as the consequence of the shift of water from plasma to alveolar sac. 7. Relative freight of lung was greater in fresh water group than sea water group. In all animal lung edema ensued. 8. The mechanisms of cardiac output variations were discussed.