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ENDOCRINE GLANDS 



known since 1901. Magnus and Schafer had noted that 

 the extract of the posterior lobe has a definite diuretic 

 effect, while the anterior lobe has no action on the kidney. 

 These conclusions have not been confirmed by the investi- 

 gations of von den Velden, of Farini, of Romer, or by the 

 recent investigations of Moltzfeldt (1916) who considers 

 that these extracts will instead cause a decrease in diuresis 

 and a concentration of the urine. We can admit that 

 the pituitary regulates the excretions of the kidneys, but 

 the exact mechanism is uncertain. The pituitary secretion 

 may act on the kidney, on the blood vessels, or on the 

 epithelium. It can act independently or by the inter- 

 mediary of the nervous system. At present, these questions 

 have not yet been solved. 



Experimentation brings out the evidence of a synergy 

 of the pituitary and other endocrines. The pituitary 

 hypertrophies after thyroidectomy, after castration, or 

 after the removal of the adrenals. The pituitary extract 

 has a vaso constrictor action on the blood vessels of the 

 thyroid (Hallion). 



PITUITARY SYNDROMES. 



The pituitary syndromes are characterized by : 

 a. Dystrophic conditions, which are: 



1 . Acromegalia. 



2. Gigantism. 



3. Pituitary infantilism. 

 b. The others by general disorders of nutrition . These are : 



1. The adipose genitalis syndrome. 



2. Pituitary diabetes. 



I. ACROMEGALIA. 



Pierre Marie, in 1886, described this disease as a 

 '"peculiar non congenital hypertrophy of the limbs and 



