THE ADRENAL GLAND 281 



succeeded in completely defining the action of these hormones. It is 

 true that a stimulation of glucose formation along with a suppression 

 of tissue utilization of carbohydrate is an important factor during 

 periods of fasting. Furthermore the present concept of a dynamic state 

 of protein catabolism indicates the necessity for the regulation of its 

 catabolism as well as anabolism. In spite of all these examples of the 

 teleological significance of the hormone, there is still one feature of 

 adrenalectomized animals that requires consideration before we can 

 accept any present hypothesis as a complete explanation of the function 

 of this gland. This is the remarkable inability of adrenalectomized or 

 hypophysectomized animals to withstand alterations in the external or 

 internal environment that are easily tolerated by intact animals. This 

 intolerance is too well known to need further description, but it should 

 be remembered that merely correcting the disturbances in the sodium 

 or carbohydrate metabolism by administration of these substances is not 

 sufficient in itself to ensure survival. 



These measures, while they may bring about the extended survival 

 of adrenalectomized animals living under quiet undisturbed conditions, 

 fail conspicuously to protect such animals under conditions which are 

 easily tolerated by normal animals. Only the cortical hormones can con- 

 fer a normal resistance to stress to either adrenalectomized or hypophy- 

 sectomized animals. 



This fact and many more that might be enumerated, for example the 

 effect of the hormones on the early fatigue of the skeletal muscles, so 

 well described by Ingle, indicate that there still remains to be found 

 some other basic mechanism of their action. The effects of adrenal cor- 

 tical insufficiency are extended to many organs, each of which expresses 

 this insufficiency in terms of its inherent function. Thus we observe the 

 rapid fatigue of working muscles, inadequate intestinal absorption, re- 

 duced ability of the kidney to separate sodium and potassium, and such 

 defects in liver function as a decreased rate of gluconeogenesis. Yet 

 even with such evidence of the necessity of cortical hormones for the 

 proper function of so many different organs, we must assume until it 

 is proved otherwise that in each organ the point of action of the hor- 

 mones is the same. At the moment we do not know, except in general 

 terms, what this effect is. All we can say is that without these hormones 

 the capacity of many types of cells to perform their particular function 

 is impaired, and that this becomes particularly evident in times of stress. 



Recently some new observations on a well-known effect of cortical 

 hormones have been reported which indicate, if further proof were 



