PHYSIOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 123 



cortex. He incubated whole suprarenal tissue at 41 C. in the presence 

 of CHC1 3 for twenty-four hours. There was an increase in the substances 

 which give the iodin test. It was assumed that this represented an in- 

 crease in epinephrin. He next chose two equal quantities of cortical and 

 two of medullary tissue. One each of cortical and medullary tissue were 

 at C. and the other lot at 41 C. for twenty-four hours with the fol- 

 lowing results at the end. 



Cortex 0C. 0.77 mgm. "epinephrin 57 per gm. of tissue 



41C. 1.04 " " " " " " 



Medulla 0C. 3.40 " " " 



41C. 3.30 " " " " " " 



Bayer (a) claims that these results were due to protein decomposition. 



More recently Yoegtlin and Macht have obtained a pressor substance 

 other than epinephrin from the cortex of the suprarenal. This substance 

 was obtained by chloroform extraction of the cortical tissue desiccated by 

 dehydrated sodium phosphate. After evaporation of the chloroform, the 

 residue was extracted with CH 3 OH. Repeated reerystallization gave 

 white plates with a fatty luster the melting point of which was 50 C. 

 The substance was sparingly soluble in water, and produced vasoconstric- 

 tion in the blood vessels; of frogs and rabbits. It was toxic when injected 

 into mice. Its physiological properties were not changed by boiling with 

 weak alkali. 



A discussion of the cortical function must include the observations 

 relative to growth and reproduction. The hypertrophy of the cortex 

 during pregnancy indicates an increase in function, at present not under- 

 stood. Yerdozzi's(a) work has shown that the cortical hypertrophy of 

 pregnancy is further increased if the mother is allowed to suckle her young. 

 He suggests for this and other reasons (see relation to growth) that the 

 suprarenal cortex is a factor in development and general nutrition. 



Although Elliott and Tuckett failed to find a relationship between 

 the cortex and the reproductive glands, others have been more successful 

 in this respetet. In some cases of precocious sexuality there is enlarge- 

 ment of the suprarenal, presumably the cortex is mostly responsible 

 (Wooley(fr), Bulloch and Sequeira(a)). Feeding suprarenal tissue to 

 young animals stimulates the growth of the testis (Hoskins, R. G. and 

 A. D.). On the other hand, according to Marassini(&), there is an increase 

 in the cortex following castration. 



Antitoxic power has been attributed to the cortex. The evidence 

 is suggestive but far from conclusive. The lipoids are said to be able to 

 neutralize toxins in vitro. Oleic acid, of which large quantities are con- 

 tained in the cortex (Rosenheim and Tebb), can neutralize tetanus toxin. 

 An emulsion of cortex detoxifies cobra venom (Myers). 



The reaction of the cortex to bacterial toxins and other poisons 



