244 ENDOCRINE GLANDS 



morbid disturbances, indicating alterations of several 

 glands allows us to make the diagnosis of pluriglandular 

 syndrome. The pluriglandular syndromes, says Sourdel, 

 are "characterized by the co-existence, at the time the 

 patient is examined, of different symptoms which are 

 believed to be due to a disturbance in the function of the 

 system of the endocrines." The pluriglandular syndromes 

 constitute not only an anatomical conception but a 

 clinical conception. 



CLASSIFICATION OF PLURIGLANDULAR SYNDROMES. 



The pluriglandular syndromes are more or less complex 

 according to the number of glands affected: the order of 

 succession and the degree of the lesions. They manifest 

 themselves, theoretically at least, by signs of insufficiency, 

 or hyperf unction of several glands in various proportions. 



We know the physiology and the relationship of the 

 endocrine glands, but they are still too indefinite to allow 

 us to establish a pathogenetic classification of these 

 various and multiple pluriglandular associations. An 

 anatomical classification would also be unsatisfactory, 

 for our histological methods do not allow us to appreciate 

 sufficiently the functional conditions of the glands, and 

 pathological anatomy does not always confirm the 

 glandular lesions suspected during life. 



For this reason the clinical classification is the only one 

 which has been attempted up to now and from this point 

 of view we can divide the pluriglandular syndromes into 

 three groups. 



FIRST GROUP. 



It is characterized by a primary alteration of one gland 

 and a secondary action on several others. In the symp- 

 tomatology there is always the predominance of the dis- 

 turbance of one gland. The majority of these syndromes 



