CHAPTER IX 



THE TESTICLE AND THE OVARY AS ORGANS 

 OF INTERNAL SECRETION 



"Da muss sich manches Rathsel Ib'sen, 

 Doch manches Rathsel kniipft sich auch." 



GOETHE. 



THE principal evidence supporting the theory .that the ovary and 

 testicle are organs of internal secretion is derived from the experi- 

 mental study of the effects produced, first, by removing these 

 organs, and, secondly, by transplanting them to abnormal positions 

 in the body. Experiments of such a kind clearly demonstrate the 

 influence of the ovary and testicle upon the growth and development 

 of the other generative organs, and upon many of the secondary 

 sexual characters. They indicate, moreover, that the nature of this 

 influence is chemical rather than nervous. Certain further evidence, 

 which is less satisfactory in character, has been obtained from 

 experiments on the injection of ovarian and testicular extracts. 1 



THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TESTIS AND THE 

 OTHER MALE ORGANS AND CHARACTERS 



It has already been recorded (p. 251) that the removal of the 

 testes in adult life brings about a gradual atrophy of the prostate 

 gland. It has also been shown that this operation, if performed 

 prior to puberty, prevents the development of the prostate, whereas 

 division of the vas deferens and the abolition of sperm production 

 have no arresting influence. 2 One-sided castration produces no effect, 

 the retention of a single testis being sufficient to maintain the 

 functional activity of both prostate glands. Similarly it has been 

 stated that Cowper's glands are probably dependent upon testicular 

 influence for their growth and activity (p. 252). 



More remarkable is the close correlation that exists between the 



1 For general accounts and references to literature see Harms, ExperimenteUe 

 Untersuchungen fiber die Inner e Sekretion der Keimdriisen, Jena, 1914 ; Lipschiitz, 

 Die Pubertatsdriise und ihre Wirkungen, Berne, 1919 ; and Gley, Les Secretions 

 Internes, Paris, 1914. 



2 Wallace (C.), Prostatic Enlargement, London, 1907. It is shown also that 

 vasotomy has no influence on the growth and activity of the prostate. 



