Abstracts 227

tested with intraperitoneal E. coli and B. jkzgilis. Autopsies on the animals that died showed peritonitis and/or pneumonia. Autopsies on those animals that survived for 21 days after burning showed no pneumonia and consistent resolution of the induced peritonitis. Thymopentin and CP 46665 but not C. parrum signifi- cantly improved survival and mean survival times in those animals receiving a diet containing only 100 Kcal per kg per day.

Waymack J. P., Miskell P., Gonce S. J. et al. (1984) Immuno modulators in the treatment of peritonitis in burned and malnourished animals. Surgery 96, 308.

Arachidonic acid metabolites in electrical injury Serial histochemical studies were carried out on tissues taken from rats subjected to electrical injury. The peroxidase-antiperoxidase method showed increased production of arachidonic acid metabolites, particularly thromboxanes at distal sites near the entrance wound and in the periosseous tissues more proximally. The levels of these vasoactive compounds remained high during the time of progressive necrosis. Treatment with agents capable of blocking thromboxane production, Imidazole, methyl prednisolone, aloe vera cream, al- lowed tissue salvage because of a decrease in the degree of necrosis.

Robson M. C., Murphy R. C. and Heggers J. P. (1984) A new explanation for the progressive tissue loss in electrical injuries. Plasf. Reconstr. Surg. 73, 431.

Vitamin A and cellular immunity Mice with deep burns covering 30 per cent of the body surface area and control unburned animals were given either saline or high doses of vitamin A to determine whether this latter compound could modify cellular immunity. One way mixed lymphocyte reactions were tested in all four groups of animals. Compared with the results in the saline control animals there was no signifi- cant change in cellular immunity in the vitamin A treated unburned animals. However, in the burned animals

treated with saline the degree of cellular immunity was suppressed to 21 per cent of the control values, whereas administration of vitamin A after the burn maintained the cellular immunity at 52 per cent of the control values (P<O.O2). Vitamin A may therefore, be useful in restor- ing depressed cellular immunity after burns.

Fusi S., Kupper T. S., Green D. R. et al. (1984) Reversal of postburn immunosuppression by the admini- stration of vitamin A. Surgery 96, 330.

Vasopressin and cardiac function Small pigs with deep burns covering one-third of the body surface area were either just resuscitated with fluid, or resuscitated and then the burned area was excised 5 hours after injury or resuscitated and excised and given lysine vasopressin by continuous infusion before, during and after the excision. In both the excised groups of animals cardiac function was markedly improved over that found in the animals that only received fluid. By 24 hours after burning the best cardiac function was found in the animals that received both excision and vasopressin.

Vernersson E. (1984) Cardiac function and central circulation in lysine-vasopressin treatment of experi- mental burns. Acfa Anaesthesiol. Sand. 28, 325.

Smoke induced lung damage The effects of the inhalation of wood smoke at a temperature of less than 30°C and containing at least 20 per cent oxygen was studied in the lungs of rabbits using scanning electron microscopy. Twenty-four hours after inhalation the injury to the proximal tracheal lining cells was severe and consisted of loss of the epithehum. In the proximal major bronchi, however, less severe changes were observed although the mucocihary blanket was abnormal. There was also an increase in the alveolar macrophage response as deduced from cell counts in lavage fluid. The surface structures on the alveolar macrophages were also modified by exposure to smoke.

Loke J., Paul E., Virgulto J. A. et al. (1984) Rabbit lung after acute smoke inhalation. Arch. Surg. 119, 956.