Effects of Extirpation 



121 



young rabbits and puppies. In pullets in which the pineal gland was 

 destroyed no difference could be noted on comparison with controls, but in 

 cockerels Foa describes not only a more rapid growth of the body, but an 

 earlier development of the testicles and of the secondary sexual characters. 

 The results obtained by Sarteschi agree generally with these. 



Fig. 85. — Effect on kidney volume and blood-pressure of intravenous injection of a 

 solution in Ringer's fluid of dried alcohol extract of sheep pineal. 



a, kidney rolume: 6, blood-pressure ; c, urine drops ; d, time in ten seconds : e, signal. 



In connexion with this it is noteworthy that abnormal growth of the 

 skeleton with sexual precocity and early development of secondary sexual 

 characters have been observed in young boys affected by pineal tumour ; 

 although this is by no means true for all cases in which such tumours have 

 been found. In some in which secondary sexual characters were present 

 there was an unusually large amount of the interstitial tissue in the 

 testicles, although these organs had otherwise remained small. It is prob- 



