THE MAMMARY GLANDS 



Mammary In spite of many assertions to the contrary, based on 



organs of* P ure conjecture, I do not think there is any evidence 

 internal that the mammary glands are organs of internal secre- 

 tion in the accepted sense of the term. As already 

 suggested, it is probable that every cell in the body should 

 be considered to be an organ of internal secretion, but 

 apart from such a generalization we cannot place the 

 mammary glands in the same category as the ' regulators 

 of metabolism ' previously mentioned. 



Mammary The mammary glands have a definite function to 



accessory 6 perform : they abstract from the maternal economy 



reproductive nourishment for the infant after birth, and in this way 



carry on the function performed by the placenta before 



parturition. There is not, of course, an exact analogy 



between the two, but the general principle is the same 



in both cases, after due allowance has been made for the 



altered circumstances and environment after birth, 



which induce pulmonary respiration, digestion and other 



developments making for independence in the child. 



It is obvious, therefore, that maternal lactation is 

 of more importance to the child than to the mother. 

 Hence, we may look upon mammary secretion as a side- 

 issue even if it be an important one so far as the 

 maternal economy is concerned. 



Well-developed breasts form one of the secondary 

 characteristics of the female sex ; but only so as evidence 

 of her ability and readiness to perform the functions of 

 reproduction. 



In the human subject if the mother cannot nurse, 

 both she and the child may suffer ; but, on the other 

 hand, the absence of mammary secretion subsequently to 



