136 The Unity of the Organism 



inner or medullary portion of the organ, the part which pro- 

 duces the adrenin, is developed from the same neuroblastic 

 mass out of which the sympathetic autonomic ganglia arise. 

 Furthermore, it seems beyond question that the so-called 

 chromophil, or sometimes the adrenin granules in the chief 

 cells of the functioning gland play a fundamental role. Com- 

 bining these facts with the equally well ascertained facts 

 that the cortex of the gland is derived from the same em- 

 bryonic mesoblastic mass which gives rise to the genital 

 glands ; and that in adults cortical changes in the supra- 

 renals are intimately correlated with reproductive changes, 

 and a general view of the factual basis on which the sugges- 

 tion rests is before us. We may, I think, regard the sugges- 

 tion not only as justified but as revolutionary in comparison 

 with any theory that was scientifically justifiable until re- 

 cently. The following further quotation from Phleps brings 

 the idea into still clearer view : 



"The unqualified dependence of the nervous system on the 

 epithelial bodies (this last used in the sense of general physi- 

 ological considerations, and only by way of illustration), 

 and the absolutely vital significance of this enables us to see 

 many things in a new light. We learn that many motor, 

 sensory and vasomotor-trophic functions of the central nerv- 

 ous system even up to the highest reflex stations having the 

 most complicated cortical functions, are in constant func- 

 tional cooperation with organs which heretofore have not re- 

 ceived sufficient consideration from this standpoint. The 

 results compel a change of our views concerning the con- 

 stantly dominating position of the nervous system. We may 

 see in many of its activities only the most manifold inter- 

 mediary roles between glandular functions which are in the 

 closest relation to metabolism, and the sum total of all re- 

 actions which follow external stimuli." 27 



