Cough as a Factor in Chronicity of Experimental Lung Abscess.

Abstract

In a study of the nature of lung abscess produced experimentally in dogs by various means 1 two characteristics of the disease were found in contrast to that in man. In the first place, the animals did not cough appreciably, even at the height of the infection, and, secondly, the abscess cavities, although in some instances of very large size, healed spontaneously and rapidly. It was felt that the absence of cough had direct bearing upon the obliteration of the cavities, and experiments were planned to test this relationship. Preliminary report of these is given, comparing the course of lung abscess in dogs as it occurred without cough, with that of cases in which cough was stimulated. Here the pulmonary lesions were induced by infected emboli, according to the method of Cutler. 2 , 3

In each of 16 dogs a 1.0 cm. segment of femoral vein was resected and used as container for a lead pellet and a fragment of agar bearing a growth of virulent Staphylococcus aureus, both ends of the segment being ligated. This capsule was then introduced into the venous stream and allowed to be carried as an embolus to the lung, where it lodged in one of the lower lobes. X-ray examination of the chest was made immediately after embolus, again at about the 16th day, and in most cases before necropsy, usually 30 to 37 days.

Ten of the dogs served as controls. Of these, 7 received no other interference, and 3 were used as operated controls, tracheotomy being performed in addition to the embolus.