THE PITUITARY BODY 



increased). The venous blood resembled the arterial blood 

 in color and in its tension of oxygen' and carbon dioxide. 

 The concentration of glucose, inorganic phosphate, and lactic 

 acid was increased. During the subsequent recovery period 

 the venous blood had a lower oxygen tension and a higher 

 carbon-dioxide tension than normal venous blood; the con- 

 centration of lactic acid continued to increase for some time. 

 The changes in the blood of the external jugular vein during 

 the first stage were different (the oxygen tension was de- 

 creased; there was little change in the carbon-dioxide ten- 

 sion). 



The first change in the blood of the femoral vein following 

 the intravenous injection of the oxytocic principle was a re- 

 duction of the oxygen tension below that of the normal 

 venous blood without much alteration of the carbon-dioxide 

 tension or the concentration of lactic acid.^ 



The effects of the oxytocic or vasopressor principle on the 

 metabolism of isolated tissues are variable; the consumption 

 of oxygen often is lowered (Himwich, Finkelstein, and 

 Humphreys, 1931; Pincus, 1933). 



The efect of extracts of the pars neuralis on the metabolism 

 of water and minerals. — It is impossible to describe typical 

 effects of a posterior-lobe extract on the metabolism of water 

 and minerals without defining clearly the experimental con- 

 ditions. The effects are modified by anesthetics, the amount 

 of salt in the diet and/or the salt stored in the tissues, the 

 presence or absence of diuresis, the cause of the diuresis if 

 present, the method by which the extract is administered, 

 etc. 



The first observations of Magnus and Schafer were made 

 in anesthetized animals. Under such conditions the intra- 

 venous injection of a posterior-lobe extract causes a transient 



' There was no interference with the dissociation of oxygen (Ceiling, Eastman, 

 and De Lawder, 1933). 



^ See also Gollwitzer-Meier (1926), and Draper and Hill (1929). 

 [352I 



