348 HENBY D. JUMP 



It is noteworthy that in these ablation experiments results were seen 

 in males only, just as in tumor of the pineal body, sexual precocity was 

 seen in boys only. 



On the other hand the experiments done by Dandy on puppies and 

 rabbits with extraordinarily careful technique showed no results. This 

 was confirmatory of the work done previously by Biedl(d), and Exner 

 and Boese. 



Feeding experiments with fresh or dried pineal have been conducted 

 on young animals by Dana and Berkley, and McCord (&). The former 

 noted that the subjects outgrew the controls in activity, size, intelligence 

 and resistance to disease. McCord found that chicks, puppies and guinea 

 pigs showed increased growth and the guinea pigs bore young earlier. 

 This is the same condition as is seen in children suffering from pineal 

 tumor, and in animals subjected to pinealectomy. 



We have then here a conflict in evidence offered which is hard to rec- 

 oncile; one seeming to indicate that the organ is inhibitory and the 

 other that it is acceleratory to sexual development. 



The pineal is so situated that it is difficult to operate upon. Many 

 of the experimental animals die from hemorrhage or other causes. There 

 are so many other important structures contiguous to this organ that it 

 seems impossible that some are not injured by the traumatism incidental 

 to extirpation or on account of the exudate which may follow it. Hydro- 

 cephalus develops with tumors of this region and may affect, by pres- 

 sure, the function of the pituitary gland. The possibility of such neigh- 

 borhood effects must be taken into consideration in the attempt to ex- 

 plain the sexual changes which occur. In this connection McCord 

 argues that the precocity seen in tumor cases may be due either to a dis- 

 turbance of the endocrinous balance which governs the pineal secretion 

 or the tumor cells may retain the functional characteristics of normal 

 pineal cells and thus increased secretion may follow. 



Pituitary Gland 



Anterior Portion. A relationship exists between the pituitary gland 

 and the gonads. This has been shown by the facts that during pregnancy 

 there is hyperplasia of the gland (Erdheim and Stumme) and that in 

 castrated animals there is a hyperplasia as has been shown by Tandler and 

 Gross. The gland has probably a stimulating influence on sexual maturity : 

 we should look for hyperplasia of it at the time of puberty but this has 

 not been demonstrated. 



While there have not been reported cases of sexual precocity, asso- 

 ciated with tumors of the anterior portion of this gland there are some 



