102 ENDOCRINE THERAPEUTICS 



another ; still, in our working plans, we must 

 differentiate somewhat between the vital and the 

 non-vital. 



To recall to mind the physiology of the subject 

 we give this quotation from Haliburton's Hand- 

 book of Physiology, 1917 : 



" The anterior lobe consists of large granular 

 cells and numerous blood-vessels. Its precise 

 function is undetermined, although, probably, 

 it is a vascular gland pouring an internal secre- 

 tion into the blood, which influences growth. 

 Abnormal hypertrophy of the pituitary produces 

 the condition known as acromegaly, and if the 

 view advanced above of the anterior lobe is 

 correct the condition is caused by an increase 

 of its internal secretion. Feeding young animals 

 on the anterior lobe hastens the growth of their 

 skeletal tissues." 



Later he says : " The pituitary body is essential 

 for life." Gushing and Horsley found that total 

 removal of the organ is fatal in a few days. The 

 same result followed entire removal of the anterior 

 lobe. On the other hand, removal of the posterior 

 lobe produces no such effect. Partial removal 

 of the anterior lobe produces a condition known 

 as hypopituitarism, hi which adiposity, accom- 

 panied by atrophy of the organs of generation, 



