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A GLIMPSE OF PULMONARY PHYSIOLOGY
469
EDITORIALS
ies," and he was much addicted to practical jokes and hoaxes. It is this aspect of his personality that we particularly recognize on this 50th anniversary of his death, through the article on page 53!. The pseudonym is a time-worn device, and in its literary sense, at least, has a perfectly honorable heritage. The word itself, used to mean a false or counterfeit name, can be traced back more than three centuries. But the concept is even older. Robert Frost commented in From Plane to Plane "That's where I reckon Santa Claus comes inTo be our parents' pseudonymity In Christmas giving, so they can escape The thanks and let him catch it as a scapegoat." Among other reasons for pseudonymity are attempts at self-protection, by authors publishing unpopular or unpolitic views; avoidance of prejudice, as when lady authors were somewhat looked down upon-eg George Sand (Amandine Lucile urore Dudevant); and attempts to separate writing areers in different kinds of literature, or to separate rofessional and literary careers (eg the Scots
physician O. H. Mavor, who wrote as "James Bridie"). Perhaps the strangest pseudonym on record is "Aceeeffghhiillmmnnoorrssstuv," which, the Encyclopaedia Britannica reports, was an alphabetical anagram of the author's true name, Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. Osler did not use this method in selecting his name, and no one seems to know just how he selected "Egerton Yorrick Davis, M.D.," often abbreviated E. Y. D. If he ever really intended the name to be a disguise, the plan ultimately failed, for E. Y. Davis became famous in his own right; even now, as Nation points out, the name or an adaptation of it turns up occasionally, presumably used by Oslerophiles as a sort of tribute. There is no doubt about this journal's publication of Nation's paper. This is our tribute to an enduring hero, and one whose non-medical writings have increasing, not lessening, relevance to today's physicians and medical students. Charles G. Roland, M.D. Rochester, i\f innesota Reprint requests: Dr. Roland, Section of Puhlications, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55901
A GLIMPSE OF PULMONARY PHYSIOLOGY Peribronchial and peribronchiolar smooth muscles are nown as the muscles of Eisseisen. The eponvm has een merited bv data described in Eisseisen's book ublished in 1822 which first substantiated pertinent natomic and histologic observations. Numerous subseuent studies confirmed his findings. These muscles, nterwoven with thin elastic fibers, are arranged in cirular and net-like fashion. In 1844, Henle, whose ame has the well known connotation with renal struclTe, postulated that peristaltic motion was a part of he function of these muscles. His reasoning was suported bv the knowledge of their derivation from the ame embryologic stem as the digestive tract. Oppoents of Henle's intuitive claim asserted that the role of ese muscles was to maintain the patency of the lower ir passages in harmony with the ventilator~' volume hanges of the lung. Radiologic evidence of bronchial eristalsis was first reported in 1920. Corroborative ndings gained by bronchocinematography were pub-
lished in 1929. Additional proof was obtained through direct bronchoscopic observations. Also, electrobronchograms, first reported in 1934, revealed action current of these muscles. The functional potential of the muscles of the bronchi and bronchioles is predicated upon the caliber of the airwavs the,' surround and is inverselv proportionate to the 'diameter of the respective air passage. The muscle thickness is 0.2 mm in a bronchus of 10 mm in diameter, while it is 0.1 mm in bronchioles of 1 mm in diameter; that is, five times as massive in the latter as in the former. Bronchial peristalsis is a constant phenomenon. The duration of a peristaltic wave is 25 seconds and the waves recur at five second intervals. The function of this peristaltic motion is the evacuation of normal and inflammatorv bronchial contents. The propulsion of the latter is aided b~' the sphincter-like action of smooth muscles at the branching points of bronchi of the second order or smaller. Andrew L. Banyai, M.D.
Th.1.151
IS. CHEST, VOL. 56, NO.6, DECEMBER 1969
On.
1//11111111111111111111/1111111111. L24C-ZSU-4NUP
~I
EDITORIALS
ies," and he was much addicted to practical jokes and hoaxes. It is this aspect of his personality that we particularly recognize on this 50th anniversary of his death, through the article on page 53!. The pseudonym is a time-worn device, and in its literary sense, at least, has a perfectly honorable heritage. The word itself, used to mean a false or counterfeit name, can be traced back more than three centuries. But the concept is even older. Robert Frost commented in From Plane to Plane "That's where I reckon Santa Claus comes inTo be our parents' pseudonymity In Christmas giving, so they can escape The thanks and let him catch it as a scapegoat." Among other reasons for pseudonymity are attempts at self-protection, by authors publishing unpopular or unpolitic views; avoidance of prejudice, as when lady authors were somewhat looked down upon-eg George Sand (Amandine Lucile urore Dudevant); and attempts to separate writing areers in different kinds of literature, or to separate rofessional and literary careers (eg the Scots
physician O. H. Mavor, who wrote as "James Bridie"). Perhaps the strangest pseudonym on record is "Aceeeffghhiillmmnnoorrssstuv," which, the Encyclopaedia Britannica reports, was an alphabetical anagram of the author's true name, Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. Osler did not use this method in selecting his name, and no one seems to know just how he selected "Egerton Yorrick Davis, M.D.," often abbreviated E. Y. D. If he ever really intended the name to be a disguise, the plan ultimately failed, for E. Y. Davis became famous in his own right; even now, as Nation points out, the name or an adaptation of it turns up occasionally, presumably used by Oslerophiles as a sort of tribute. There is no doubt about this journal's publication of Nation's paper. This is our tribute to an enduring hero, and one whose non-medical writings have increasing, not lessening, relevance to today's physicians and medical students. Charles G. Roland, M.D. Rochester, i\f innesota Reprint requests: Dr. Roland, Section of Puhlications, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55901
A GLIMPSE OF PULMONARY PHYSIOLOGY Peribronchial and peribronchiolar smooth muscles are nown as the muscles of Eisseisen. The eponvm has een merited bv data described in Eisseisen's book ublished in 1822 which first substantiated pertinent natomic and histologic observations. Numerous subseuent studies confirmed his findings. These muscles, nterwoven with thin elastic fibers, are arranged in cirular and net-like fashion. In 1844, Henle, whose ame has the well known connotation with renal struclTe, postulated that peristaltic motion was a part of he function of these muscles. His reasoning was suported bv the knowledge of their derivation from the ame embryologic stem as the digestive tract. Oppoents of Henle's intuitive claim asserted that the role of ese muscles was to maintain the patency of the lower ir passages in harmony with the ventilator~' volume hanges of the lung. Radiologic evidence of bronchial eristalsis was first reported in 1920. Corroborative ndings gained by bronchocinematography were pub-
lished in 1929. Additional proof was obtained through direct bronchoscopic observations. Also, electrobronchograms, first reported in 1934, revealed action current of these muscles. The functional potential of the muscles of the bronchi and bronchioles is predicated upon the caliber of the airwavs the,' surround and is inverselv proportionate to the 'diameter of the respective air passage. The muscle thickness is 0.2 mm in a bronchus of 10 mm in diameter, while it is 0.1 mm in bronchioles of 1 mm in diameter; that is, five times as massive in the latter as in the former. Bronchial peristalsis is a constant phenomenon. The duration of a peristaltic wave is 25 seconds and the waves recur at five second intervals. The function of this peristaltic motion is the evacuation of normal and inflammatorv bronchial contents. The propulsion of the latter is aided b~' the sphincter-like action of smooth muscles at the branching points of bronchi of the second order or smaller. Andrew L. Banyai, M.D.
Th.1.151
IS. CHEST, VOL. 56, NO.6, DECEMBER 1969
On.
1//11111111111111111111/1111111111. L24C-ZSU-4NUP
~I