ADDISON S DISEASE 345 



that we use for demonstrating adrenalin in the blood serum. However this 

 may be, a stronger unloading of the chromamn tissue must lead to a quite 

 definite distribution of blood. We find slight hyperemia of the lungs, the 

 heart, the brain, the kidneys, marked hyperemia of the peripheral venous 

 system and above all that of the liver and the roots of the portal vein, while 

 the other capillary systems are poor in blood. The purpose of this arrange- 

 ment is evident. It means the forcing of a greater amount of blood into 

 those organs which are the seat of life-maintaining centers and of the regula- 

 tion of metabolism, thus heightening the activity of these organs. The liver 

 occupies an especial position: It receives adrenalin-poor or adrenalin-free 

 blood through the portal vein arid thus becomes markedly hyperemic, and 

 blood containing adrenalin through the hepatic arteries; by this means 

 especially favorable conditions are, it seems, provided for the action of 

 adrenalin on the metabolism (Falta and Priestley). AlsoE. Neubauer found 

 by oncometric methods a hyperemia of the liver after the injection of 

 adrenalin. 



The physiological significance of the chromaffin tissue may be adduced 

 from what has just been said with regard to adrenalin's intensive and mani- 

 fold actions. We may assume that it maintains the normal excitability 

 of the sympathetic nerves and that by means of graduation of the secretion 

 it is concerned in the regulation of the blood-pressure, the distribution of 

 blood, and the tonus of all other organs innervated by the sympathetic; fur- 

 ther that it maintains constant the amount of sugar in the blood and enters in 

 a regulatory manner into other factors of the metabolism ; further that it 

 influences muscular power (whether directly or through carbohydrate meta- 

 bolism is questionable) ; and finally it exercises an influence on the production 

 of neutrophilic leucocytes and on the plasma contents of the circulating blood. 



As to the function of the cortical system, we as yet know very little. Ac- 

 cording to Jacoby, it contains an oxydase. Lohmann obtained cholin from 

 the cortex. Cholin acts as a toning agent on the autonomous nerves and it 

 is also found, however, in many other organs, and we do not know whether 

 it is given off from the cortical system in the blood paths. The assumption 

 of a "systeme cholinogene" (Gautrelet) as an antagonistic regulator against 

 the chromaffin system has not as yet received sufficient support. Also the 

 experiments of Goldzieher do not seem to me conclusive enough with respect 

 to the significance of this question. 



It is assumed rather generally that the cortical system possesses a detoxi- 

 cating function (Brown-Sequard}. The blood of animals without their supra- 

 renals seems to be poisonous. As has been mentioned previously these 

 animals show a greater susceptibility for certain poisons; this does not, how- 

 ever, furnish absolute evidence for the detoxicating activity of the supra- 

 renals, as we may assume with Theiroloix that the withdrawal of the regula- 

 tory function lessens the general resistance. It is supposed by many authors 



