500 V. D. LESPINASSE 



In regard to compensatory hypertrophy of the interstitial cells, the 

 following experiment is of interest : 



The deferent canal of a young rabbit's testicle was ligatured and 

 the opposite testicle removed. Six months afterward, a histological study 

 of the testicle was made and it was found that the spermatogenic tubules 

 were degenerated and the interstitial gland was twice its normal volume. 

 We have therefore concluded that the degeneration of the seminal gland 

 was due to the ligature of the deferent canal and the hypertrophy of the 

 interstitial gland to the removing of one of the testicles. This was then 

 a "compensatory hypertrophy." 



Fig. 7. Testicles from two dogs showing the normal testicle (on the right), the 

 smaller testicle (on the left) having been replaced in the abdomen without interference 

 with its nerve or blood supply two months previously. Note the diminution in size of 

 the abdominally replaced testicle. Photomicrograph of the abdominally replaced testicle 

 is shown in Fig. 12. Compare with Fig. 1. 



Another instance to show a possible compensatory hypertrophy is the 

 following : 



A pig in whom one testicle had descended and had been removed when 

 the pig was young, while the other testicle remained in the abdomen. 

 This ectopic testicle weighed 180 grammes, while ordinary ectopic pig 

 testicles weigh from about 70 to 90 grammes in cases of double cryptorch- 

 iclie. This testicle, composed entirely of interstitial cells, as was proved 

 by a microscopic examination, had undergone a compensatory hypertrophy 

 and developed the amount of interstitial cell substance normal for two 

 testicles. 



One can verify in man an increase in the number of interstitial cells 

 in chronic cachectic conditions ; this fact is noted regularly enough in 

 chronic phthisis, cancerous and syphilitic cachexia and in pernicious an- 

 emia. In the latter case, the interstitial cells may become as numerous 

 as in the pig. 



