62 THE GLANDS REGULATING PERSONALITY 



The Pituitary 



In the human skull, the pituitary is a lump of tissue about 

 the size of a pea lying at the base of the brain, a short distance 

 ^behind the root of the nose. It is of a grayish-yellow color, 

 unpretentious and insignificant enough in appearance, and so 

 long neglected by the scientists who boast their immunity to the 

 glamor of the spectacular. Guesses at its nature date back to 

 Aristotle. 



Like most of its colleagues among the glands of internal secre- 

 tion, it is really two glands in one, two glands with but a single 

 name. At least it consists of two different parts, distinct in their 

 origin, history, function and secretions, but juxtaposed and fused 

 into what is apparently a homogeneous entity. They are conven- 

 iently spoken of as the anterior gland and the posterior gland. 



In the embryo, the anterior gland is derived by a proliferation 

 of cells from the mouth area. The posterior gland represents an 

 outgrowth of the oldest part of the nervous system. When it is 

 traced back along the tree of the vertebrate species, it is found 

 to be present in all of them. An ancient invention, its precursor 

 has been identified in worms and molluscs and even among the 

 starfish. "The pituitary is practically the same, from myxine to 

 man." A trusted veteran, therefore, among the internal secre- 

 tory organs, its importance can be surmised. 



To understand the story of the pituitary, variously acquired 

 bits of information concerning it have been assembled and fitted 

 together like the fragments of a picture puzzle, as Cushing has 

 so well put it. Here and there pieces stick out, obviously out of 

 place. The relations of some of them to one another or to the 

 whole design are not at all clear. Parts appear to have been 

 irrevocably lost, or not yet to have turned up. Chance bystanders 

 will select odd figures and articulate them into a new harmony. 

 Yet out of the jumble of fragments, a fairly respectable insight 

 has been gained in less than a half century. 



The pituitary is cradled in a niche at the base of the skull 

 which, because of its form, is known as the Sella Turcica or 

 Turkish saddle. So situated, an operative approach to it is 

 overwhelmingly difficult. On the other hand, X-ray studies are 

 favored. "Nature's darling treasure" it might be called, since 

 Hi. M has been provided a skull within the skull to shelter it. 



Under the most highly magnifying lenses of the microscope, 

 three kinds of cells have been distinguished. The anterior gland 



