Production of Pulmonary Infarcts by the Insufflation of Acid

Intrabronchial insufflation of acid causes immediate necrosis of the walls of many alveoli. Thrombosis of the alveolar vessels is an associated phenomenon. When a large number of vessels becomes affected, a clot propagates rapidly into the larger supplying vessels. The resulting lesion is indistinguishable from a hemorrhagic infarct. The infarct-like areas so frequently encountered in influenzal pneumonia, it is not unlikely, have their origin in a similar process. Infarction depends not only upon thrombosis or embolism of the large vessels, but may be initiated by extensive damage to the capillary bed. By this process infarcts may form in organs which are normally protected by collateral circulation.