GROSS ANATOMY 23 



devoid of peritoneum and is in contact with the pancreas and 

 splenic artery. Along its posterior surface is a ridge dividing 

 it into a lateral area resting on the kidney, and a medial area 

 on the left cms of the diaphragm. 



The surface of the adrenals is surrounded by aveolar tissue 

 containing fat and is invested by a fibrous capsule through 

 which pass numerous fibrous processes and vessels entering the 

 organ. 



Externally the glands appear yellowish or brownish-yellow. 

 When cut into they are seen to consist of a firm external or 

 cortical portion, deep yellow in color, and striated, forming the 

 greater mass of the gland, and an internal or medullary, soft 

 and pulpy portion, of dark-brownish appearance due to the 

 presence of blood. 



The fibrous coat of the adrenals consists of an outer looser, 

 and an inner firmer layer. The latter is intimately connected 

 with the deeper parts of the gland and is continuous with the 

 septa which enter into the formation of the organ. The 

 arrangement of these septa gives rise to the structure charac- 

 terizing the microscopic appearance of the gland and its division 

 into zones as described later. 



The size of the adrenals varies widely depending on the 

 previous life history of the individual from which they were 

 derived. Thus infection increases their size and hence in 

 persons dying after an infectious process enlarged adrenals are 

 encountered. After sudden accidental death, relatively small 

 adrenals are found. Rarely a single gland only is encountered 

 or the two glands are fused. 



The average combined weight of the two glands in the human 

 adult varies from 5 to 15 grams. 444 - 614 There is thus a con- 

 siderable variation in their normal size and it is therefore 

 difficult, by mere inspection of size, to determine whether or 

 not a given gland is normal. The majority of normal glands, 

 however, weigh between 3.5 and 5 grams each. They are on 

 an average about 25 to 30 mms. in height, 40 to 50 mms. in 



