GLANDS, GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY OF SECRETION. 263 



also exerts a slight influence in the production of the 

 specific element, and, on the other hand, that the sympa- 

 thetic nerve to some extent exerts an influence on the 

 secretion of the water. While such a condition of things is 

 not at all improbable, experiments on glands such as the 

 one just described clearly demonstrate that in the main 

 cerebro-spinal nerves govern transudation, the function of 

 which is to wash out the specific elements when such are 

 produced, while the sympathetic nerve is concerned in the 

 production of these specific elements themselves. 



So far there has been considered only the general phy- 

 siology of secretion; that is, those phenomena which are 

 common to all glands. The special physiology of the in- 

 dividual glands is reserved for a detailed discussion, when 

 these glands are treated in connection with their special 

 functions. 



