928 E. G. HOSKINS 



The clinical literature throws little light upon the problem under dis- 

 cussion. Simultaneous disturbances in the hypophysis and the thyroid 

 have been reported by various observers, but under conditions which render 

 impossible the determination as to which condition was antecedent. Exner 

 (1909) reported two clinical cases, however, which were rather clean- 

 cut. In both instances the hypophysis was extirpated for the relief of 

 acromegaly and later there was found among other results an undoubted 

 hypertrophy of the thyroid gland. Whether this indicated an accumula- 

 tion of colloid signifying depressed thyroid activity or hyperplasia of the 

 gland cannot be determined. 



The evidence as a whole does not permit any definite conclusion as 

 to the effect of the hypophysis upon the thyroid. The problem demands 

 further study in a variety of animals. 



Relation between Hypophysis and Gonads. Clinicians have long 

 believed that an intimate relationship subsists between the hypophysis and 

 the sex glands. Cessation of menstruation in the female and impotence 

 in the male are well-recognized initial symptoms of acromegaly. In Ex- 

 iier's two cases, mentioned in a preceding paragraph, the onset of the dis- 

 ease was soon followed by amenorrhea. The restoration of menstruation 

 after removal of the hypophyseal tumors would seem to indicate some 

 sort of specific causal relationship. Von Eiselsberg (1907) reported the 

 case of a man 20 years old, who developed a typical case of dystrophia 

 adiposogenitalis with hypophyseal tumor. The tumor was successfully 

 removed and a year later marked genital development had occurred. The 

 clinical evidence is discussed at length in the chapters on the hypophysis. 



The earlier experimental investigators obtained negative results from 

 feeding or injecting hypophyseal extracts (Hallion and Alquier, Eenon 

 and Delille, Sandri). Of later observers E. K Hoskins (1916), Frank 

 (1919) and Sisson and Broyles (1921) using rats as the experimental 

 animals have also obtained negative results. Goetsch (1916), on the other 

 hand, from a small series of rats reached the conclusion that hypophyseal 

 feeding results in a marked stimulation of the sex glands. These results 

 are discussed at length in the chapter on the Physiology and Experimental 

 Pathology of the Hypophysis. Marinus (1919), in a larger series (about 

 >0) noted increased growth and more rapid development of the reproduc- 

 tive system, as well as earlier production of young when rats were fed 

 with anterioT lobe substance. Pars tuberalis material, on the other 

 hand, gave negative results. The writer, in collaboration with F. H. 

 Allen, in experiments on the white rat not yet completed, has obtained 

 some evidence that hypophysis feeding results in earlier reproduction. 

 The variability of preparations fed may explain the discrepancy in vari- 

 ous cases. 



Clark (1915) reported that feeding hypophyseal substance to fowls 

 resulted in increased egg production. Winternitz (1916) confirmed this 



