20 ANATOMY 



uniform network with the strands of cortical tissue. The 

 medullary cells, however, are capable of multiplication after 

 adolescence and have been noted to increase in the gland re- 

 maining after unilateral adrenalectomy. 



The weights of the adrenal glands vary readily in response to 

 the metabolic requirements of the body. Thus the fever of 

 infectious processes, cold, heat, etc. call forth an hypertrophy 

 which is very obvious even on casual inspection. The adrenals 

 of ill-nourished or unhealthy animals are much larger than 

 those of normal healthy ones. The adrenals of the grey wild 

 rat are much larger than the glands of the domesticated 

 albino. 162 This increase in size involves the cortex chiefly and 

 the medulla to a much lesser extent. The large gland of the 

 wild rat may be attributed to the less favorable conditions 

 under which it nourishes and its greater vigor and activity 

 which involve a greater metabolic requirement. Domestica- 

 tion reduces the size of the adrenals. In the rat the adrenals 

 are somewhat larger in the female than in the male. 286 



THE ADRENALS OF MAN 



The adrenals in man sit "cap-like" on the upper poles of the 

 kidneys. The right gland is somewhat triangular in shape 

 bearing a resemblance to a "cocked-hat." It is situated be- 

 hind the inferior vena cava and right lobe of the liver and in 

 front of the diaphragm and upper end of the right kidney. The 

 upper part of its lateral surface is devoid of peritoneum and lies 

 opposite the liver, while the inferior portion is covered by 

 peritoneum reflected onto it from the coronary ligament. 

 Near the anterior border of the gland is a short furrow (the 

 hilum) from which emerges the adrenal vein. 



The left adrenal is crescentic in shape with its concavity 

 placed in apposition to the medial border of the upper part of 

 the kidney. The upper area of its anterior surface is covered 

 by the peritoneum of the omental bursa which separates it 

 from the cardiac end of the stomach while the lower area is 



