THE PITUITARY BODY 



have been reported by Lederer (1935), Sylla (1935), Thomp- 

 son and others (1936), and Scowen (1937). Thompson and 

 his colleagues found that extracts containing thyrotropic hor- 

 mone were without action, if thyroid tissue capable of func- 

 tion was lacking, as in certain patients with marked myxe- 

 dema. The basal metabolic rate could be raised to normal 

 (mild or moderate hypothyroidism) or elevated (non-toxic 

 goiter), sometimes strikingly (exophthalmic goiter). Ap- 

 parently becavise of the development of "antihormone," the 

 change induced was only temporary and could not be elicited 

 by a second course of injections. Sylla listed three therapeutic 

 uses to which he put an extract containing thyrotropic hor- 

 mone: (i) to cause complete recovery from pituitary cachex- 

 ia, (2) to cause a loss of weight in obesity of certain types, 

 and (3) to inhibit diuresis in a single patient with diabetes 

 insipidus, as effectively as after the injection of extract of 

 the posterior lobe. Lederer as well as Scowen has described 

 the beneficial effects of the treatment of hypothyroidism due 

 to pituitary insufficiency by the injection of extracts con- 

 taining thyrotropic hormone. Measurements of the basal 

 metabolic rate furnished objective proof of the favorable 

 action of the hormone. Scowen found that much larger doses 

 of thyrotropic hormone did not affect the basal metabolism 

 of patients with classical myxedema, whereas the administra- 

 tion of thyroxine Na caused a prompt response. Presumably 



tained about the same amount of thyrotropic hormone in association with histologic 

 signs of diminished (at first) or increased (later) thyroid function. However, thyro- 

 tropic hormone might almost disappear from the pituitary of animals with inactive 

 thyroids because of an environmental temperature of 38°-40° C. 



See also the reference to the observation of Riddle and others (pp. 165-66). 

 Riddle, Smith, and Moran (1935) found that the basal metabolic rate of pigeons is 

 reduced as a result of hypophysectomy { — 33 per cent at 30° C. or —17 per cent at 

 20° C). If 10-23 per cent of the gland remained, there was a definite, but 

 less pronounced, fall. 



The hypophysectomized rat adapts itself slightly but very poorly to a cold en- 

 vironment (Wolf and Creep, 1937). Its body temperature is abnormally low (e.g., 

 34°-35?5 C. after 29 days in an environment at 2°-4?5 C). In the thyroids of such 

 animals is found some colloid absorption at the periphery; the central part of the 

 gland is atrophic. 



1184] 



