Evergreen cypress

Silver Dust the Cypress
2002-09-25 13:16:25 (UTC)

Practical on spirometry

(I want to use Chinese. but I can't do so on this computer
at UC library)

Today I did a practical on the study of breathing
I was connected to a machine called spirometer
only using my mouth to breathe through this machine with
pure oxygen

I was a bit dizzy after the first two parts of the
experiment

To be a good experimental subject
i must carry on...

For the last part of the practical
A long tube (the thick blue plastic ringed tube that u use
for yr washing machine) was connected between the machine
and me, so that I breathed thro' it
This is called an "artificial deadspace"
which increases the distance between air and the lung
When I breathed
I was exchanging the gas in the tube instead of in my lung
Then u can imagine not much air could get into my lung
I was depleted of oxygen...

After one minute or so
I felt...not exactly dizzy
I could feel my heart beating more rapidly
My breathing became faster and deeper
And later I was actually using movement of my tummy to help
the breathing
I felt that the heart beat and the breathing did not "match"
I don't know how to describe further
but it was simply strange
When the pratical went on
I couldn't understand why this strange feeling somehow
create an excitement in myself
Even after the practical
I couldn't help laughing
I must be crazy

Anyway, the experiment itself is insane enough

(N.B. the practical was being done under the supervision of
experienced lab. staff, never re-do anything mentioned!!!)




Ad: