THE GENERATIVE GLANDS 385 



certain other organic systems. It is only in isolated instances 

 that we are acquainted with the mechanism by which the sexual 

 glands produce changes in localities far removed from them. 

 Thus, we are justified in ascribing certain developmental changes 

 of pregnancy, which are reminiscent of acromegaly, to primary 

 hypogenitalism and secondary hyperpituitarism ; while other 

 symptoms, we know, are due to secondary changes in the thyroid 

 apparatus. 



Whether directly, or indirectly through the agency of other 

 hormone-producing organs, the genital glands exercise an influ- 

 ence upon the entire habit, as well as upon many of the functions, 

 of the animal organism. With the maturity of the genital organs 

 the juvenile habit makes its first appearance, and this is expressed 

 by a youthful freshness and vigour of the entire being, affecting 

 both the physical and mental capacities. The progressive physio- 

 logical diminution of the function of the genital glands is accom- 

 panied by senile changes in the cuticle and cuticular glands, in 

 the hair and teeth, and in the muscular and nervous systems. 

 Castration is followed by changes, even in young persons, which 

 largely resemble those of senile degeneration ; and it is evident 

 from this that senility, whether physiological or premature, bears 

 a relationship to hypofunction of the genital glands. As we have 

 shown in a previous chapter, senile decay is associated with 

 regressive changes in other internal secretory organs, and especi- 

 ally in the thyroid. There is, however, no justification for 

 ascribing a preponderating influence to one or more internal 

 secretory organs in the causation of senile cachexia, seeing that 

 we have as yet no definite information concerning the sequence 

 of the different processes. 



The effect which the genital glands have upon the general 

 metabolism is very marked. That castration leads to increased 

 deposition of fat is one of the oldest pieces of human knowledge, 

 and has been utilized since very early times in the fattening of 

 animals for market purposes. That the localization of the fatty 

 deposit is dependent upon the sexual differentiation of the develop- 

 ing genital glands, and that it represents in part a sexual charac- 

 teristic, is shown both at and after puberty. 



The suppression of sexual activity, in women during preg- 

 nancy and at the menopause, and in men with advancing age, is 

 accompanied by increased deposition of fat, the localization of 

 which is peculiar and, to some extent, characteristic in both sexes. 

 Certain forms of obesity, such as are observed in early childhood 

 and in boys of feminine habit with shrivelled or cryptorchidic 

 testes, and which are frequently associated with imbecility, should 

 probably 'be regarded as the outcome of primary hypoplasia of 

 the genital glands. It is frequently, however, a matter of extreme 

 difficulty to distinguish between obesity of genital origin and 

 that provoked by changes in the hypophysis. 



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