114 The Endocrine Organs 



c* 1 



Nevertheless, it may be noted that in more than one such case of a dwarfish 

 stature apparently associated with enlargement of pituitary, the tumour 

 has been found to be really outside the gland and to exercise compression 

 upon it. It must be remembered also that increased activity of the natural 

 function of an organ may not necessarily accompany increase in volume : 

 this is exemplified in cases of endemic goitre. There is, on the whole, 

 reason to believe that a dwarfish habit of body is associated with diminution 

 either in size or in activity of the anterior lobe of the pituitary. These 

 changes may commence in infancy or even in the fostus. 



Assuming, which there is no reason to doubt, that the two parts of the gland 

 have different functions, it is obvious that as the result of increase or diminution 

 of function of either part the clinical symptoms manifested in affections of this organ 

 may take very various characters. Thus both anterior and posterior lobes, or the 

 anterior lobe alone, or the posterior lobe alone, may exhibit either increased or 

 diminished activity ; and there is the further possibility of the one lobe having its 

 activity increased whilst that of the other is diminished. Under all these condi- 

 tions the clinical appearances would be different. The suprarenals and the thyro- 

 parathyroid apparatus may each, it is obvious, furnish clinical problems of similar 

 complexity. 



