The Pathological Anatomy and 



Histology of the 



Hypophysis 



J. P. SIMONDS 



CHICAGO 



Introduction 



A systematic description of the morbid anatomy and histopathology 

 of the hypophysis must take into account the apparently normal varia- 

 tions in the weight and size of the gland and the uncertainty which still 

 exists as to its normal histology. The recorded average weights of hypoph- 

 yses of adults said to be normal have varied from 0.5 to 0.807 gram. 

 The following table illustrates the variations in the reported average 

 weights of the gland : 



Both Sexes Males Females 



Vierordt 0.50 g. 



Schoenemann 0.63 g. 



Boyce and Beadles ... 0.453 g. 0.60 g. 



Simmonds 0.737 g. 0.807 g. 



Tolken 0.54 g. 



Erdheim 0.612 g. 



Munson and Shaw . . . 0.545 g. 



One source of error in determining the weight of the normal hypoph- 

 ysis has been pointed out by Tolken, namely, that account has not been 

 taken of the effect of pregnancy, especially of repeated pregnancies, upon 

 the weight of the gland. The figures given by Erdheim and by Tolken 

 are the averages of the weights of 34 and 98 hypophyses, respectively, 

 from males and virgin females, and may perhaps be accepted as reason- 

 ably accurate. The average weight of the hypophyses of women who have 

 borne children will be somewhat higher than the weight of this gland 

 in males of the corresponding age period. 



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