THE SUPRARENAL SYSTEM 295 



THE SUPRARENAL CONSIDERED AS AN ENTITY. 



In the absence of any certain knowledge regarding the 

 physiological activity of the interrenal system, it is difficult to 

 arrive at a conclusion concerning the functional relationship be- 

 tween the portions of the interrenal and adrenal systems which 

 are united to form the suprarenals. The two systems are morpho- 

 logically so different and, in a large number of animal species, 

 are topographically so entirely separate, that an independence 

 and an autonomous functional activity on the part of both must 

 be assumed. Even the anatomical union of portions of the two 

 systems into a single organ cannot be regarded as proof of a 

 functional interdependence. For the topographical association 

 of morphologically and physiologically differentiated tissues is 

 not without analogy on the contrary, it is of frequent occurrence 

 in the organism. But it cannot be denied that the inclination 

 on the part of the interrenal and adrenal systems to unite to form 

 a morphologically homogeneous organ an inclination which in- 

 creases and becomes more intimate with phylogenetic develop- 

 ment suggests that this specific association is not without sig- 

 nificance. There may also be a functional connection, a co- 

 ordinate or subordinate relationship between the two systems, 

 which thus unite in the suprarenal for the performance of a 

 higher organic function. 



The absence of definite facts has not, however, militated 

 against the formulation of hypotheses concerning the function 

 of the homogeneous suprarenal. Even before it was known that 

 the suprarenal system was biologically made up of two parts, 

 Langlois attempted to combine into one the two theories at that 

 time current concerning the function of the suprarenals. He 

 believed that the internal secretory and the antitoxic activities 

 were interdependent. This view, which was adopted by Neusser, 

 Boruttau and partly also by Battelli, may be formulated as fol- 

 lows : That certain toxic products of metabolism, chiefly the 

 result of muscular exertion, are neutralized by the suprarenal 

 cortex, and that from the material thus supplied the adrenalin 

 necessary to the working of the economy is elaborated by the 

 medulla. 



The experiments of Abelous and Langlois, already described, 

 constitute the evidence in favour of the accumulation and neutra- 

 lization, within the suprarenal, of the products of muscular 

 fatigue. Boruttau then concluded that, after the transformation 

 process, portions of the original products of fatigue remained un- 

 changed in the suprarenal. His view is based upon experiments 

 in which a change in the contractions, similar to the first stages 

 of fatigue, was produced in frog's muscle after treatment with 

 curarin by the application of suprarenal extract. Battelli and 

 Roatta found a decrease in the adrenalin contents of the supra- 



