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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Lung
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INFOTEXT
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1992-09-04
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The Lung or Lungs is a large cavity of the
body, used for gas exchange. It is
essentially a sheet of thin, moist membrane
that is folded so as to occupy less space.
Most four-limbed vertebrates have a pair of
lungs occupying the thorax. The lung tissue,
consisting of multitudes of air sacs and
blood vessels, is very light and spongy, and
functions by bringing inhaled air into close
contact with the blood so that oxygen can
pass into the organism and waste carbon
dioxide can be passed out. The efficiency of
lungs is enhanced by breathing movements, by
the thinness and moistness of their surfaces,
and by a constant supply of circulating
blood. Lungs are also found in some slugs and
snails and in some fish. In humans, the most
common diseases of the lungs are
tuberculosis, pneumonia, BRONCHITIS,
emphysema, and CANCER.
Subject by: Vince Pike