80 THE SEX-COMPLEX 



THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF SUPRARENAL EXTRACTS 



Effects of Intravenous injections of extracts of the cortex alone 



su J prarenai f cause tike m any other protein substances, a fall in the 

 extracts. general blood-pressure, but this is not specific. 



Extracts of the medulla, or of the whole organ which 

 contains the medulla, have definite pressor effects on 

 the peripheral arterioles with subsequent elevation of 

 the general blood-pressure. Contractions of the uterus, 

 also, are usually produced, but in certain states of 

 physiological rest and in certain animals inhibition of 

 the normal uterine contractions may follow intravenous 

 injections. This effect of inhibition is also generally 

 seen in regard to intestinal movements. 



Effects of Feeding experiments have led to contradictory con- 



feeding with elusions. Vincent 1 has failed to obtain any positive 

 extracts. immediate result. D'Amato 2 has shown that even large 

 doses taken by the mouth fail to raise the blood-pressure 

 except in the presence of suprarenal insufficiency, such 

 as is seen in Addison's disease. Other observers have 

 confirmed d'Amato's observations. 



Continued feeding has been carried out on young 

 rats with an adequate number of controls by the 

 Hoskins 3 . These investigators have come to the con- 

 clusion that suprarenal feeding has a stimulating in- 

 fluence on the development of the testes. But, as in 

 more than half of the controls similar hypertrophy was 

 noted, their inference seems hardly justified. 



1 Vincent, S., Trans. Amer. Gynecol Soc., 1917, voL xlii, p. 157. 



2 D'Amato, L., Berl Klin. Woch., 1906, vol. xliii, p. 1100. 



s Hoskins, R. G. and A. D., Archiv. Inter. Med. t 1916, vol xvii, 

 p. 584. 



