THE ADRENALS 31 



in a bath of adrenalin solution. Adrenalin given 

 by the mouth has not a very dependable effect ; 

 it may be that its blanching effect on the gastric 

 mucous membrane prevents or delays its ab- 

 sorption. Lesn6 (Bull, de la Soc. m6d. des Hop. de 

 Paris, Nov. 6, 1920) says : " Adrenalin is not 

 destroyed by pepsin or pancreatin, but the liver 

 seems to deprive it of some of its toxicity, so that 

 it has to be given in large doses to obtain effects. 

 It is much more toxic when given by the rectum, 

 and he infers that the abundant anastomoses of 

 the hsemorrhoidal veins enables it to be carried 

 direct to the vena cava, and so to the heart. 

 This should give us far more speedy results than 

 hypodermic injection. There seems to be some- 

 where an inhibitory force that prevents any 

 extreme rise of pressure, even from large doses, 

 when given in the ordinary ways (intravenous, 

 of course, excepted). This may possibly be due 

 to thyroid stimulation maintaining the balance. 

 Thyroid deficiency tends to cause atheroma of the 

 large arteries with high pressure (this has been 

 amply proved in thyroidectomized lambs). One 

 would think that the continual use of adrenalin 

 might have the same effect, but in chronic asthma, 

 which is often relieved by adrenalin injections, 

 this is not the case. An old patient of mine 



