Abstract

Blood gas analysis on arterialized capillary blood in 70 young infants yielded satisfactory information about oxygen therapy. Inspired oxygen concentrations above 40% are often required to raise the capillary Po₂ of hypoxic infants above 70 mmHg. Oxygen concentrations above 40% are difficult to achieve and maintain in presently available oxygen tents, though not in modern incubators, or oxygen chairs. A raised Pco₂ has frequently been found in infants with severe respiratory infections, but oxygen therapy has not resulted in CO₂ narcosis in these acute emergencies.