PUBERTAS PRECOX 



349 



which show an enlargement of the sella turcica. One of these seen by 



Beekman was a girl of (U/o who had the bodily development of one of 16, 



breasts firm and large, axillae and pubic hair present, 



mons and labia developed, menstruation irregular. 



The X-ray showed an enlarged sella. A. Strauch 



reports a similar case in a boy of 11% w ^h large 



penis and testes, pubic hair of female type, axillary 



hair but none on the face. The sella was enlarged 



in this also. 



Hypopituitarism in adolescents is manifested by 

 a tendency toward persistence of infantilism or at 

 least toward delayed acquirement of secondary 

 sexual characteristics. 



Experimental extirpation of the gland from 

 young animals according to Crowe, Gushing and 

 Homans was followed by decided retardation of the 

 growth of the sex glands. Houssay used young dogs 

 and found there was complete arrest or retardation of 

 growth in general and of the teeth, hair and genitalia 

 especially. 



It would be inferred from the foregoing that 

 adding anterior portion of the pituitary to the body 

 content would accelerate sexual development. This 

 does occur according to the experiments of Goetsch 

 and others. Goetsch's conclusions, after feeding 

 anterior lobe to young rats are: that it causes in- 

 creased weight and more vigorous and early sexual 

 development in males and females; that sexual in- 

 stincts are earlier awakened and breeding occurs 

 earlier and oftener. Histologically the development 

 of testes, epididymes, prostate, seminal vesicles, vasa deferentia, ovaries, 

 tubes and uterus is advanced. 



Fig. 2. Case of Dr. 

 A. Strauch. Repro- 

 duced by permission 

 of the author from 

 Am. Jour. Dis. Child. 

 1918. XV. 138. X-ray 

 showed slightly en- 

 larged sella turcica. 



Suprarenal Gland 



The suprarenal cortex is derived from the same tissue as the ovaries 

 and testes: the Wolffian ridge. It might be supposed that changes in 

 the suprarenal cortex would be followed by changes in the gonads. Changes 

 in the secondary sexual characteristics have occurred in cases of Virilism 

 associated with tumors of the suprarenal cortex. 



Bullock and Sequiera report the case of a girl, who began to menstruate 

 just before she was 10 years old. Autopsy showed a large hypernephroma 

 of the left suprarenal cortex, enlargement of the right suprarenal and 



