THE ADh'i:\.\f.S \\l> \ltn/sn\-s DISEASE 609 



Iji-iiiciplc. lilt' cpiiu'phi'in, and by containing a very large proportion of 

 lil)()i(ls. Thus, in water-free human adrenals (cortex and medulla 

 botli iiu'ludcd) there was found 36.;^ per cent, of ether-soluble material, 

 of wliich 20. () per cent, was cholesterol and 33 per cent, was let-ithin.'-"* 

 The proportion of fats and lipoids varies greatly during changes of 

 age, disease, and perhaps of function, and there are those who believe 

 the adrenal cortex to be a chief source of the lipoids of the blood, to 

 which much imi)ortant function is ascribed in the reactions of immu- 

 nity. (See Lipoids, under Fatty ^[ctamorpliosis.) When cholesterol 

 is fed in large amounts some is deposited in the adrenal cortex,"'-' while 

 in nuiny diseases, notably delirium tremens ( Ilirsch ) ,"'-"' the lipoid 

 content of the adrenals is greatly decreased. In renal and arterial 

 disease the adrenal lii)oids have been found increased.''"*^ The lipins 

 of the adrenal cortex are said to contain little or no neutral fat,^"*" but 

 free fatty acids which may be increased when the cholesterol decreases. 

 Loss of body fats is not accompanied by a loss of adrenal lipoids 

 ordinarily, although they decrease in acute infections, especially pneu- 

 monia.'""^ A vaso-depressor effect is produced by extracts of adrenal 

 cortex, probably caused by choline which has been found in such 

 extracts. 



The medulla is characterized, besides, by its pigmentary content, 

 by the remarkably active internal secretion, epinephrin,^ which it 

 always contains in greater or less amount. Presumably epinephrin, 

 of which the formula is 



HO /^"^CIIOH — CH, (XH) — CH3 

 HO 



is derived from the aromatic radical of the proteins, its close relation- 

 ship to tyrosine being seen when the formula of the latter is com- 

 pared 



ho/ \cH„ — CH (XH,) — COOH 



That epinephrin is formed from tyrosine directly, is, however, not 

 yet demonstrated. There are also other amines and aromatic com- 

 pounds which might be formed in the body, that have a pressor effect, 

 and which perhaps are formed, although not yet identified.- It is to 



98 Wells, Jour. INIed. Res., 1!)08 (17), 461. 

 99Krylov, Beitr. patli. Anat., Iftl4 (.icS), 434. 

 »9a Jour. Amer. :\led. AssOc, ini4 (63), 2186. 

 99bChauffard, Compt. ?>end. Sof. Biol.. 1914 (76), 529. 

 99c FJorberg. Skand. Areli. Plivsiol., 191") (32), 2S7. 

 99d Elliott, Quart. Jour. Mcd.^ 1914 (S). 47. 



1 Tins name, given by Abel and Crawford, is to be preferred to the others in 

 common use, especially the niost-iised term "adrenalin," wliich has been copy- 

 riplited bv a manufacturinif establishment so that this name means specifically 

 tiieir product, and not the active principle of tlie adrenal from whatever source. 



2 See Barjrcr and Dale, Jour. Plivsiol.. 1910 (41), 19. 



39 



