THE PITUITARY BODY 



771 



lobe of the pituitary is intact. Even surgical manipulation of the pitui- 

 tary may excite a hypersecretion of pituitrin, which would account for 

 the glycosuria often observed after experimental excision or partial 

 destruction of the pituitary. A similar irritation may be set up in disease 

 of the gland. 



The glycosuria which is usually observed after partial hypophysectomy 

 soon passes off, to be followed by a permanent condition of increased 

 tolerance for sugar, because now less pituitrin is being produced. It is 

 said that during the stage of increased tolerance diabetes can not be pro- 

 duced even by excision of the pancreas. The glycosuria produced by 

 irritation of the posterior lobe is accompanied by a marked polyuria (dia- 

 betes insipidus), which may outlast the glycosuria. 



A. 



B. 



Fig. 199. A, To show the appearance before the onset of acromegalic symptoms; B, The ap- 

 pearance after seventeen years of the disease. (After Campbell Geddes.) 



Clinical Characteristics 



Because of their importance from a physiological standpoint, w r e shall 

 now proceed to review briefly some of the more important facts that have 

 so far been brought to light by clinical observations. The pathological 

 condition most frequently observed affecting the pituitary is an adenom- 

 atous growth particularly located in the anterior lobe. Besides pro- 

 ducing general symptoms of pressure, such as diminution of the visual 

 field and, perhaps, headache, a shadow can usually be observed when the 

 patient is examined' by means of the x-rays. General symptoms, com- 

 monly ascribed to a hypersecretion of the autacoid of the anterior lobe of 

 the pituitary hyperpituitarism begin sooner or later to show them- 



