728 DEAN LEWIS 



Kadiographs of these animals failed to reveal any changes in the 

 skeleton. - 



Lewis and Miller conclude that, at least in their series, neither anterior 

 nor posterior lobes of the hypophysis when given by mouth have any effect 

 upon the growth or weight of the animals. The amounts administered 

 were large enough to give results as they would be equivalent to 230 gm. 

 daily for the average man. On the other hand, the amounts were not 

 large enough to have a deleterious effect, for the animals so fed gained 

 in weight as did the controls. Doubling the amount of the anterior lobe 

 did not modify the results. It must be admitted, however, that this does 

 not prove that increased or altered hypophyseal secretion may not modify 

 growth. In the feeding experiments digestive fluids may destroy the active 

 principles and besides, the administration of these extracts by mouth is 

 scarcely comparable to the continuous secretion from the gland in situ. 



Goetsch(&) has obtained positive results from feeding experiments. 

 His conclusions are as follows : 



Whole Gland Feeding. The dried powdered pituitary extract derived 

 from both the anterior and posterior lobes of the gland when fed to young 

 rats in excessive doses (0.1 gm. daily), causes failure to gain in weight, 

 loss of appetite, increased peristalsis, mild enteritis, and certain nervous 

 manifestations such as muscular tremors and weakness of the hind limbs. 

 The latter symptoms are undoubtedly due to the posterior lobe element in 

 the whole gland extract, for they are similarly produced by using posterior 

 lobe, but not by using anterior lobe extract. Even when the whole gland 

 is fed over a short period of time, from 25 to 40 days, it causes a more 

 rapid growth and development and gain in weight, larger nipples in the 

 female, and a coarser, drier, harsher growth of hair than are seen in 

 either control animals or after administration of ovarian (corpus luteum) 

 extract in equivalent dosage. 



In comparison with the development in control animals, the ovaries, 

 tubes and cornua of the uterus of animals fed with whole gland extract 

 were larger, more vascular and edematous in appearance, indicating in- 

 creased development and activity. Even at the early age of two and two- 

 fifths months (from one to two months before normal sexual maturity) 

 the ovary was matured and showed active ovulation and Graafian-follicle 

 formation, relatively few primordial follicles and some increase in the 

 amount of interstitial tissue. This rather striking appearance in so young 

 an animal gives one the impression that an early ovarian maturity was 

 produced by the feeding of pituitary extract. The fimbriated end of the 

 tu bo was more branched and the lining columnar cells more ciliated, an 

 indication of greater activity. There was marked hyperplasia. of the 

 uterine rnucosa, the lining cells of which were more uniformly ciliated 

 and active and there was abundant gland formation in the endometrium. 



