Abstract
The fact, that the alveolae in children succumbed to laryngeal atresia are not collapsed but expanded, suggests, that tracheobronchial fluid is excreted into the alveolae under pressure. To test this hypothesis the left main bronchus was ligated a few days before term in rabbit foetuses, without interrupting the pregnancy. Some hours after delivery the offspring was sacrificed and the respiratory tract examined. On the ligated side the alveolae were found to be expanded by fluid, while the bronchi remained in the contracted foetal state. The contralateral lung, which had supported life between delivery and sacrifice, was histologically normal. Bronchography carried out on foetal sheep in utero accordingly revealed contracted bronchi and a flow directed from the alveolae towards the trachea, whereas the bronchi after the first breath attained the normal postnatal width.
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