NERVE SUPPLY TO PITUITARY GLAND 335 



faserbiindelchen dieselben, von denen Luschka sagt, dass sie 

 zwei bis drei jederseits, in den vorderen Lappen der Hypophyse 

 sich einsenken." It is based upon this paragraph and drawing 

 by Henle that an occasional brief mention of hypophyseal nerve 

 supply is found in the more detailed and comprehensive anatom.- 

 ies, the majority, however, passing over the matter in silence. 



The internal distribution of the hypophyseal nerves was stud- 

 ied by Berkley ('94) (10) in a series of Golgi stained sections. 

 He observed numerous varicose nerve filaments in the interior 

 of the gland, the lobus anterior and pars intermedia in particular, 

 but some also in the posterior lobe. The external connections 

 of the nerves were not studied. On account of his inability to 

 observe nerve cells in the gland, he presumed they were of ex- 

 traneous origin and thought they probably come from the sym- 

 pathetic system. 



MATERIAL AND METHODS 



The purpose of this paper is to consider only the relatively 

 grosser aspects, i.e., the origin, course and distribution of the 

 hypophyseal nerve supply. The histological distribution and 

 relation of the ultimate filaments to the gland cells have not been 

 considered. It is analogous in character to a recent publication 

 (11) dealing with the blood supply of this organ. 



The difficulties of deductions and the impossibility of an accu- 

 rate conception of the nerve supply based upon gross human 

 dissection have been shown (Henle) (9) by the supposedly erro- 

 neous observations of early investigators in mistaking connective 

 tissue trabeculae for the very delicate nerve filaments, which are 

 almost beyond the range of naked vision. These observations are 

 based upon the canine and feline gland, the animals used in the 

 experimental investigations in the Hunterian Laboratory. The 

 anatomical environment of the pituitary body in these forms is 

 such that the difficulties of a tightly enclosed, deeply imbedded 

 and adherent gland encountered in man and the ape are ob- 

 viated. The hypophysis dangles from the brain and is readily 

 removed with the brain after liberation of its single point of dural 



