In 18 cases with various restrictive lung diseases and in 8 cases having normal lung volume, intrapulmonary distribution of diffusing capacity for O₂, pulmonary blood flow, and alveolar volume was analyzed in respective well-and poor-diffused compartments separately.
The results obtained are summarized as follows:
1) Total diffusing capacity (D_T), the sum of diffusing capacities in well- and poor-diffused compartments (D₁+D₂), obtained by the present method showed a good agreement with that obtained by the conventional method (Do₂).
2) A highly significant correlation (r=0.81, y=6.09x+0.57) was found between D_T and functional residual capacity (L_T). D_T/L_T ratio was very close to the normal in 14 cases with restrictive impairment, and abnormally lower only in 4 cases.
3) In cases with reduced D_T, decrease in D₁ with increase in D₂ was the rule. Pulmonary blood flow in well-diffused compartment (Q₁) was decreased, and blood flow in poor-diffused compartment (Q₂) was. increased. Since the decrease in D₁ was more pronounced than in Q₁, D₁/Q₁ ratio was shown to be lower than normal, but D₂/Q₂ ratio was kept normal even in cases with restrictive diseases.
4) A statistically significant negative correlationn was found between blood flow in poor-diffused compartment (Q₂) and arterial oxygen saturation (S_2o2), suggesting that increase in Q₂ may give rise to hypoxemia. However, such shunting effect was thought to be actually much less in intensity than that due to derangement of ventilation-perfusion relationships. In fact, remarkable O₂ desaturation was found to be caused mainly by increased anatomical shunt (perfusing in the region with D/Q=O), rather than by flows in the region with lower D/Q.
5) In cases with reduced D_T, alveolar space for well-diffused compartment (L_D1) was decreased, while the space for poor-diffused compartment (L_D2) was markedly increased. Since L_D2 was not related to ventilatory “slow space” (L₂), the “poor-diffused compartment” was thought to be essentially different from the “poor-ventilated space” in assessment, even in cases with normal lung volume.
6) The diffusing capacity per unit of alveolar space in well- and poor-diffused compartments thus defined, D₁/L_D1 and _D2/L_D2, showed invariably different patterns of combination in disease from the pattern in the normal group. In most cases studied, both of these two ratios were either elevated or normal. However, 2 cases with advanced pulmonary tuberculosis and 2 cases with interstitial pneumonitis revealed a lowering of D₁/L_D1 not accompanied by elevation in D₂/L_D2, indicating qualitative limitation rather than quantitative, in terms of gas exchange across the alveolar membrane.
7) Q₂, D₁/Q₁, L_D2, D₁/L_D1, and D₂/L_D2, as estimated by the present method, were considered to be clinically important, and to provide useful information concerning abnormally uneven distribution of diffusion and perfusion.

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This study was done on the back ground factors of patients, from whom a “Mycobacterium” rhodochrous-like organism, Gordona bronchialis, in their sputum was isolated.
A considerable number of patients had received surgical treatment, thoracoplasty or lobectomy, and usually showed cavities. All patients seemed to have bronchiectasis and/or chronic cavities. The two organisms, Gordona terrae and Gordona rubra, that were considered to belong to the same genus together with G. bronchialis, were isolated from the soil, but G. bronchialis was not yet isolated from the soil. G. bronchialis was considered to be an organism that shows specific affinity to human. It was observed that two patients frequently showed this organism in their sputum. This finding suggests that G. bronchialis is able to multiply in a bronchial tract or in cavities.
In conclusion, G. bronchialis is suggested to be an organism that is able to survive in a respiratory tract, in presence of bronchiectasis and cavities which are possibly favourable for the survival of the organism.

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