DUCTLESS GLANDS 145 



stimulation of the sympathetic, viz., dilatation of the pupil, dry mouth 

 from diminished salivary secretion, rapid heart action, glycosuria and 

 increased secretion and motility of the stomach and intestines. Hence 

 adrenalin, and drugs, like ergotoxin, which resemble it in action, are 

 variously termed sympathicotropic, sympathicotonic or sympathicomi- 

 metic. On the other hand, certain drugs, such as pilocarpin, muscarin, 

 physostigmin, cholin and digitalis, which stimulate the autonomic 

 fibers of the vagus, producing effects diametrically opposite (contrac- 

 tion of the pupils, profuse salivation, slow heart action, pollakiuria, 

 etc.) are termed vagotropic, vagotonic or vagomimetic, because their 

 action simulates the vagal autonomic. Thus the Viennese clinicians 

 postulate two opposing diathetic conditions, sympathicotonus and vago- 

 tonus, the symptomatology of which can be thrown into relief by cer- 

 tain pharmacodynamic tests, which have been likened by Januschke to 

 " tuning keys by means of which we can operate upon the complicated 

 stringed instruments of the body, and voluntarily make one string 

 tighter to increase its vibration or another looser to dampen its func- 

 tion."25 To complete the analogy of their tripod of ductless gland 

 correlations, Eppinger and Hess assume that the pancreas, controlled 

 by the vagal autonomics, secretes a hormone "autonomin," which is 

 supposed to antagonize adrenalin, the hormone of the sympathetic 

 system proper. So far, this is a very cogent and fascinating theory, but, 

 as often happens, it does not work out according to specifications in all 

 cases, and is strongly opposed by Gleg. The symptomatology Id vago- 

 tonic and sympathicotonic patients, too complex to be considered here, 

 is extremely variable and the reaction to drugs sometimes unreliable. 

 Thus, Eppinger and Hess themselves found that pilocarpin and adren- 

 alin sometimes produce strong reactions in the same patient. The 

 interest of their theory for present purposes lies in its capacity for 

 elucidating the action of the ductless glands and internal secretion, for 

 behind the ductless glands and the hormones themselves there must be 

 some controlling mechanism. It is assumed that when the vegetative 

 and vagal autonomics are over-excited (sympathicotonia, vagotonia), 

 these act upon the viscera and the ductless glands, the hormones or 

 internal secretions of which in turn react with redoubled force via the 

 blood channels upon the autonomic nerve centers, vegetative and vagal, 

 producing a vicious circle, as Hemmeter maintains.^® Thus the 

 hormones of the viscera and the internal secretions of the ductless 

 glands regulate the tonus of the nervous system, while the autonomic 

 nerve fibers themselves regulate the action of the ductless glands, the 

 viscera, blood vessels and all organs containing involuntary muscle. 



25 Cited by Barker. 



26 J. C. Hemmeter, New Yorlc Med. Jour., 1914, XCIX., 108. 



