47 
_ finite and characteristic results [OLIVER and SCHÄFER !), CYBULSKI ?) 
and Szymonowicz*)]. This is shewn specially by a marked rise of 
blood-pressure. It is also known that the cortex does not act in this 
way but only the medulla. (At least this is the most accepted view 
though the Polish physiologists above-mentioned, believe that the cor- 
tex has the same action, though to a much smaller extent.) Extracts 
of cortical substance are practically inactive. 
If, then, the segmentally-arranged bodies in Elasmobranchs really 
correspond to the medulla of higher vertebrate suprarenals, an extract 
made from them should have the same physiological action. Again, 
if the interrenal body of Elasmobranchs and the known suprarenals 
of Srannius in Teleosts really correspond to the cortical substance, 
an extract from them should have little or no physiological action in 
the direction mentioned. And this is precisely what I have 
found. 
This action on the blood-vessels I have tested by a series of per- 
fusion experiments through the blood-vessels of large toads, with the 
brain and spinal cord destroyed. I have tied a shouldered cannula 
into one aorta, letting the ligature include also the other aorta. Then, 
after a snip has been made in the sinus venosus, normal saline so- 
lution has been perfused through the blood-vessels from a raised funnel 
into a graduated cylinder. When the flow becomes constant (measured 
by number of ccm in 5 minutes) extract of the bodies to be tested is 
run into the funnel and so through the blood-vessels of the toad. 
The extracts have been made in all cases from perfectly fresh 
material. This has been pounded in a mortar with sand and a quan- 
tity of normal saline solution, then carefully filtered. Especial care 
has been taken to ensure the filtrate against containing any solid 
particles. The extract of the interrenal body was pale pink, slightly 
turbid in appearance and neutral in reaction. The extract of the 
suprarenals in connection with the sympathetic was very pale yellow, 
clear, aud slightly dichroic. This was also neutral in reaction. 
The results I have obtained so far are as follows: — 
1) Extracts of the segmental suprarenals along the 
sympathetic contract the blood-vessels of the toad to 
an enormous degree, as shewn by amuch diminished 
outflow. This may fall from 50 ccm in 5 minutes to 1 ccm or even less 
in the same time. 
1) Journ. of Phys., Vol. XVIII, No. 3, 1895. 
2) Anz. der Akad. d. Wiss. in Krakau, 4. März 1895. 
3) Arch. f. die ges. Physiologie, Bd. 64, 1896. 
