PHYSIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND PATHOLOGY 455 



cells become columnar. During rut the gland is a mass of tortuous 

 tubules, and is many times larger than during the quiescent period. 



Removal of the prostate gland of white rats prevents the successful 

 fertilization of the female although the ability and desire to copulate is 

 not interfered with (Steinach). On the other hand, rats deprived of their 

 testes at the age of four to six weeks show marked atrophy 'of the prostate. 

 Castration not only inhibits prostatic development, but also leads to 

 involution of the fully formed organ (Walker, Athansow). 



The prostate in man normally undergoes atrophy in old age, becoming 

 transformed, after a few years, into a mass of fibrous tissue containing a 

 small number of scattered muscle fibers in a state of degeneration (Deaver 

 and Ashhurst). Similar results follow castration (Griffiths, Wallace and 

 G. Walker). On the other hand, alterations do not occur in the prostate 

 following vasectomy or unilateral castration and vasectomy of the remain- 

 ing gland (Shattock and Seligmann). The prostate in subjects demon- 

 strating complete atrophy of the testes does not increase in size at the onset 

 of puberty; the fibrous tissue is increased, the glandular tubules do not 

 fully develop and the smooth muscle fibers are reduced in number 

 (Eccles). Cryptorchids with functional interstitial cells show no altera- 

 tions in the prostate (Hanes, Eccles). 



Some general enlargement or hypertrophy of the prostate gland is 

 more often seen than atrophy in men of advanced years. That such a 

 condition is not normal is clear from the fact that some diminution in 

 size occurs in all other generative organs as the sexual life draws to a 

 close, much in the same manner that the generative organs of those animals 

 that have a rutting season decrease in size when that season is passed 

 (Deaver and Ashhurst). Observation available indicate that hypertrophy 

 of the prostate in senile individuals results because of an overproduction 

 of the testicular hormone in combination with a reduced external secre- 

 tion. If such is true, the total suppression of the testis should lead to 

 involution of the enlarged prostate, a result which is not obtainable by 

 the suppression of the seminal secretion alone (Mieremet). As a matter 

 of fact castration has been advocated and performed as a curative measure 

 in the treatment of prostatic hypertrophy (Harrison, White). However, 

 Remete contends that only normal prostates undergo atrophic changes as a 

 result of castration ; the more hypertrophy a prostate shows the less likely 

 is castration to produce any beneficial effects upon it. Dogs are prone to 

 enlargement of the prostate, and they are the only domestic animal which 

 have an infectious urethritis. In other animals castration invariably 

 causes prostatic atrophy, but in dogs it often fails to produce any appreci- 

 able influence (Ciechanowski). 



The administration of testicular extracts, at times, appears to exert a 

 beneficial effect upon the prostate following removal of the testes (Walker 

 (a), Rohleder). Testicular transplants also are sufficient to prevent 



