354: SECRETION. 



Cloez, he discovered hippuric and taurocholic acid in the 

 capsules of some of the herbivora. 1 Other researches have 

 been made into the chemistry of these bodies, but without 

 results of any great physiological importance. 



State of our Knowledge concerning the Functions of tJie 

 Suprarenal Capsules. 



In 1855, the late Dr. Addison, of Guy's Hospital, pub- 

 lished a remarkable memoir on a peculiar disease which he 

 had found connected with disorganization of the suprarenal 

 capsules. This disease, sometimes called Addison's disease, 

 is characterized by bronzing of the skin, and is accompanied 

 by serious disorders in nutrition. It was supposed to be in- 

 variably fatal. The peculiar discoloration of the surface, 

 attended with disorganization of the suprarenal capsules, led 

 physiologists to suppose that, perhaps, these bodies had some 

 function connected with the formation of pigment ; and, fol- 

 lowing the publication of Dr. Addison's memoir, we find 

 quite a number of experiments on animals, consisting chiefly 

 in extirpation of the capsules. Before this time there had 

 been no reasonable theory, even, of the probable function of 

 these bodies. As our first ideas of the relations of the supra- 

 renal capsules to the formation of pigment were derived from 

 cases of disease, it may not be out of place to consider briefly 

 whether there be any invariable and positive connection be- 

 tween structural change in these organs and the affection 

 known under the name of bronzed skin. 



In the memoir by Dr. Addison, are reported eleven cases 

 of anaemia, accompanied with bronzing of the skin, termi- 

 nating fatally, and found, after death, to be attended with 

 extensive disorganization of the suprarenal capsules. 2 The 



1 CLOEZ ET VULPIAN, Note sur ^existence des acides hippurique et choleique 

 dans les corps surrenales dcs animaux herbivores. Comptes rendus, Paris, 1857, 

 tome xlv., p. 340. 



2 ADDISON, On the Constitutional and Local Effects of Disease of the Supra- 

 Renal Capsules, London, 1855. 



