THE SUPRARENAL SYSTEM 153 



alone supplies no evidence as to the essential character of the 

 interrenal tissue in the economy of the organism. The large 

 amount of tissue remaining in the system explains why eels 

 invariably survive the removal of their suprarenals.* 



SYMPTOMATOLOGY OF SUPPRESSION OF THE 

 SUPRARENAL FUNCTION. 



The symptoms which, in different animal species, follow the 

 removal of the suprarenals, have been variously described. This 

 is chiefly due to the fact that the duration of life after operation 

 is so short, that it is difficult to determine which symptoms arise 

 from suppression of the organ, and which are complications result- 

 ing from the operative intervention. The clinical complex pre- 

 sented by suprarenal suppression is by no means uniform, and 

 is, moreover, so ill-defined in character that its classification as 

 a clinical entity is impossible. Where operation is immediately 

 followed by pronounced muscular weakness, extreme nervous 

 depression which may amount to a paralytic condition, reduced 

 cardiac and respiratory activity, and a lowered temperature, the 

 idea which inevitably presents itself is that we have to do with the 

 after-effects of serious surgical disturbance. 



If, however, the suprarenals are removed by less drastic 

 surgical means, the operation is not followed by any of the above 

 symptoms, the animals appearing quite normal a few hours after 

 their recovery from the anaesthetic. Where the suprarenals have 

 been previously dislodged, they may be removed from their 

 position under the skin of the back without an anaesthetic, and 

 the animals will remain free from symptoms for one to two days. 

 Upon the second day in some cases, though usually not until the 

 third, there is loss of appetite. About twenty-four to forty-eight 

 hours before death, which occurs four to six days after operation, 

 the animal becomes spiritless and wears a pathetic look; it ceases 

 to move about and refuses all food. The apathy and muscular 

 weakness increase and there is considerable stiffness and uncer- 

 tainty of movement of the hind legs. Extreme prostration follows, 

 the animal becoming too weak to move ; it has a flaccid paresis 

 of the hind legs and lies in a peculiar position, flat on the 

 abdomen with the extremities extended. At this stage the tem- 

 perature is very low, respiration becomes increasingly difficult and 

 laboured, the heart's action is irregular and weak, and the animal 

 soon dies. Immediately before dissolution, single muscular con- 

 tractions are sometimes observed and, though more rarely, con- 

 vulsions. 



* In a recent publication (Ascher-Spiro, Ergebnisse der Physiologic, 

 Qth year, IQIO, p. 537) S. Vincent compares his experiments with eels with 

 mine with Selachii, and he concludes that the cortex of the suprarenal is 

 not essential to the life of the organism. It is evident from this that 

 Giacomini's anatomical work (1908) has not come to Vincent's notice. 



