126 ELEVENTH LECTURE. 



In them occur, closely crowded, delicate granular cells, 

 measuring 0.018 to 0.035 mm., with fine vesicular nuclei. 

 The cells appear, in contradistinction to the cortical elements, 

 very poor in fat molecules. The behavior of these medul- 

 lary cells with chromate of potash is very remarkable, as 

 Henle discovered. They become deeply browned, while the 

 cortical cells are very slightly changed. 



The vascularity is great, and the arrangement of the ves- 

 sels peculiar in the suprarenal capsules. Numerous small 

 arterial branches arising from various sources form a capillary 

 reticulum in the cortex, with elongated meshes. These capil- 

 laries first combine in the medulla into considerable, but very 

 thin-walled venous canals. The latter, having likewise a ra- 

 diated direction, unite at acute angles, and thus largely devel- 

 oped occupy a considerable portion of the medulla. The 

 latter large trunks finally open into the very wide veins situ- 

 ated in the centre of the organ. 



The lymphatics are still little known. 



In many mammals the medullary mass appears very rich 

 in nerves, which may form considerable microscopic plexuses. 

 There was, therefore, an inclination to consider it as related 

 to the sympathetic. 



The pituitary gland, the hypophysis cerebri, is smaller in 

 the higher vertebrates than in the lower, and consists of two 

 lobes ; a small posterior one, of a nervous texture, and a 

 larger anterior one, with the structure of a blood-vascular 

 gland. Through the latter passes a canal lined sometimes 

 with flattened epithelium (mammals), sometimes with ciliated 

 cells, and which sinks into the infundibulum (Peremeschko). 

 Rounded and oval, 0.0496 to 0.0699 mm. large gland spaces 

 are enclosed by a connective tissue, rich in capillaries. In its 

 interstices lie cells measuring 0.014 mm., with a consider- 

 able finely granular body. Colloid metamorphosis may be 

 noticed. 



The name of the coccygeal gland, glandula coccygea, has 

 been bestowed on a small thing situated at the apex of the 

 coccyx. It consists of a system of diverticulated arterial 



