Abstract
Apparatus and procedures are described for measuring respiratory function in intact and unanesthetized guinea pigs during exposure to clean or contaminated air. Modification of previously reported methods enabled measurements on several animals in a single experiment. With this multi-animal test system, values for total respiratory flow resistances, respiratory rates, and tidal volumes that were obtained during inhalation of air or formaldehyde-contaminated air agreed closely with previously reported values for single-animal test methods. The method is sensitive for detecting early functional alterations during inhalation of irritants at concentrations much below acutely toxic levels, and the multi-animal test system permits rapid screening tests for respiratory effects of contaminated atmospheres.
