THE PITUITARY BODY 



duction in the amounts of urea and amino acids. Apparently 

 there is less combustion of protein and more combustion of 

 fat because (i) the nitrogen balance is shifted in a positive 

 direction (due to a reduction in the excretion of nitrogen in 

 the urine), and (2) the respiratory quotient falls from about 

 0.90 to about 0.79. 



According to Teel and Gushing, the injection of a growth- 

 promoting extract into the normal dog may cause a dimin- 

 ished excretion of phosphorus and an increased excretion of 

 calcium. However, the administration of a similar extract to 

 hypophysectomized rats, on a low-calcium ration and with a 

 negative calcium balance, causes a retention of calcium (posi- 

 tive balance) in association with growth (Pugsley and Ander- 

 son, 1934). 



Growth-promoting extracts of the pars glandularis of the 

 ox may cause polydipsia and polyuria in the dog. This effect 

 (and possibly other effects described above) is not observed in 

 thyroidectomized dogs. 



The effect of the growth-promoting hormone on the 

 amounts of glutathione and ascorbic acid in the liver and 

 striated muscle of rats was studied by Gregory and Goss 

 (1934) and Goss and Gregory (1935). Reiss, Hochwald, and 

 Druckrey (1933) investigated the metabolism of the isolated 

 liver and kidney of hypophysectomized rats, to some of 

 which they administered a growth-promoting extract. 



Does the growth-promoting hormone afect the growth of neo- 

 plasms? — D. Engel (1923) as well as P. Engel (1934) studied 

 the rate of growth of Ehrlich's adenocarcinoma in mice; in 

 both reports it was found that the injection of an extract of 

 the pituitary caused an increase in the rate of growth, al- 

 though the extract used by D. Engel probably contained no 

 growth-promoting hormone. In his report, P. Engel (1934) 

 also concluded that the effect of the pituitary extract could 

 be antagonized by the injection of an extract of the pineal 

 body. According to Reiss, Druckrey, and Hochwald (1933), 

 [ 102] 



