THE IDENTITY OP ANTITOXIN. 



663 



All these facts not only further emphasize the importance 

 of the adrenal system in the organism, but they also indicate 

 that the spleen is not the useless organ that it is thought to be 

 by many. True, its removal is not always followed with un- 

 toward effects, but this is merely due to the fact, illustrated 

 above, that the adrenal overactivity caused ~by the accumulation 

 in the blood of substances that would be destroyed in the liver if 

 the spleen were present correspondingly activates all the remaining 

 protective functions. 



Interesting in this connection is the fact that the thyroid 

 gland is considered by many observers, including Bardeleben, 

 as the compensative organ of the spleen. That the adrenal 

 symptoms have invariably been ascribed to the thyroid we have 

 seen. General enlargement of the lymphatic glands and in- 

 tense congestion of the . bone-marrow have also been noted: 

 evidence that the production of leucocytes is very actively 

 stimulated. We have curious testimony as regards the con- 

 tinuousness of adrenal overactivity in a series of experiments 

 conducted by H. Martyn Jordan, 40 which showed that partial 

 excision of the spleen in pups caused these to grow "somewhat 

 faster than their untouched brother." We have studied the 

 morbid influence of excessive adrenal activity in exophthalmic 

 goiter, acromegaly, etc., and noted the increased functional 

 metabolism of the erethic stages in both diseases. It seems 

 clear that in Jordan's experiments the unusually rapid growth 

 of the animals can be ascribed to adrenal overactivity a fact 

 simultaneously proving its actual existence. 



That the spleen is a protective organ is also suggested by 

 the great amount of lymphoid tissue it contains and the large 

 number of leucocytes it contributes to the portal circulation. 

 In this particular, however, we only regard this organ as one 

 of several sources of supply, and merely refer to it to show 

 that in addition to its main function, the secretion of a ferment, 

 it is occupied by leucocyte-forming structures such as there 

 are in other parts of the digestive system, of which the spleen 

 is an essential member. Indeed, the description of an intes- 

 tinal solitary follicle or of one of those that take part in the 



40 H. Martyn Jordan: Lancet, Jan. 22, 



