762 FKEDERICK S. HAMMETT 



the mechanism is integrated through the sympathetic nervous system and 

 that the renal vasomotor system is of prime importance. This correlation 

 of the effects of these extracts on the kidneys with the neural control 

 is also supported by the studies of Addis, Shevky and Bevier (1918). 

 Addis (1918) and his coworkers have shown that the injection of posterior 

 lobe extracts depresses the excretion of urea, even on high levels of blood- 

 urea content, and that this action tends to counteract the stimulating effect 

 of epinephrin on urea excretion to the extent that by suitable combinations 

 of the two drugs no changes are obtained. They consider that the prod- 

 ucts of the activity of the hypophysis and the adrenals may exert a bal- 

 ancing effect on the excretory functions of the kidney as controlled through 

 the nervous system. 



Effects on Respiration. The influence of injections of posterior lobe 

 extracts upon respiration were first noted by Mummery and Symes (1908) 

 and Houghton and Merrill (1908), the former having recorded a diminu- 

 tion in amplitude of the respiratory movements and the latter an in- 

 crease in their number. Nice, Kock and Courtright (1914) made a care- 

 ful study of the exact changes induced and came to the conclusion that 

 the first effect is an increase in the depth of the respirations which is 

 followed by shallowness and a decrease in rate, although sometimes an 

 increase may be obtained. The onset of the phenomena is synchronous 

 with the circulatory changes, but the duration is less. An immunity to 

 further injections is produced. Frohlich and Pick(a) (1913) noted symp- 

 toms which they attributed to bronchial spasms. The respiratory effects 

 in their experimental animals consisted of deep inspirations followed by 

 shallow and apparently fruitless expirations. The nature of the action 

 of the stimulating substance of the extracts was stated by Trendelenburg 

 (1912) not to be that of a bronchoconstrictor. Nevertheless, the later 

 experiments of Iloussay (1918) and others indicate that the effect is 

 actually a constriction of bronchial musculature. The point of attack 

 of the bronchoconstricting substance has been attributed by Frohlich(&) 

 (1914) to the vagal endings in the bronchial musculature which have 

 been sensitized by the drug. In connection with this opinion the findings 

 of de Bomis and Susanna (1909) that infundibular extracts induce a con- 

 striction of the pulmonary arteries is interesting. Aside from these few 

 statements but little valid information concerning the action of posterior 

 lobe extracts on respiration is available. 



Effects of Posterior Lobe on Metabolism. Studies of the effects on 

 metabolism of the administration of posterior lobe preparations are few 

 and unsatisfactory. Malcolm (1904) reported that he obtained nitrogen 

 retention, a preliminary increase in phosphorus excretion followed by 

 retention, and increased calcium output, which led him to conclude that 

 the posterior lobe exerted a catabolic influence on bone. This conclusion 

 is supported by the observation of Franchini (1910) of a decrease in the 



