PREFACE 



THIS book represents an attempt to describe and 

 evaluate the scientific foundations of our knowledge 

 of the pituitary body in terms of physiology, pharma- 

 cology, and their related sciences. Like others interested in 

 this remarkable organ, I am fully aware of the fact that any 

 account of the functions of the pituitary body must plainly 

 show how great is the deficiency of our knowledge. Neverthe- 

 less, because of the tremendous amount of work which has 

 been reported, particularly during the past decade, there is 

 great need for a complete and critical restatement of what 

 is known or has been published. 



I have attempted to give an adequately documented ac- 

 count of the experimental work on the pituitary body during 

 the past fifteen years (up to and including part of 1935). 

 Clinical observations, in so far as they appear to contribute 

 to knowledge of the functions of the pituitary body, are also 

 discussed. In addition, I have included a discussion of the 

 gonadotropic substances associated with pregnancy and with 

 the growth of certain neoplasms, although it is doubtful 

 whether these substances are actually secreted by the pars 

 glandularis. More than five thousand reports have been con- 

 sulted; about three thousand of these — many of which must 

 still be considered of doubtful importance — are cited in the 

 Bibliography. To limit the book to a reasonable size, I have 

 found it necessary to condense the subject matter as greatly 

 as possible. However, I believe that references to all phases 

 of the physiological literature are reasonably complete. 



I am greatly indebted to the following authors for per- 

 mission to reproduce illustrations or data: Professor W. J. 



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