1. A control system for an artificial ventilator having a variable gas flow rate during a patient's inspiration comprising: input means for introducing flow rate information; and means, responsive to said flow rate information developed by said input means, for controlling the rate of said gas flow to match the flow rates introduced by said flow rate information; said input means introducing said flow rate information as a plurality of volumes distributed over the time of a single inspiration to allow introduction of time related flow rate information, said input means includes a plurality of sliding flow rate selection means, disposed so as to slide in parallel patterns, for introducing said flow rate information, each said flow rate selection means introducing a volume for a particular time period of a said inspiration, each said flow selection means having an indicator, the position of which indicates the relative flow rate for its associated time period of said inspiration, the indicators of said flow rate selection means collectively forming points above a reference line defining a curve which represents the flow rate with respect to time of said flow rate information for said inspiration.