CONSERVATION OF ENERGY 231 



if any of some of these organs. A few examples 

 will explain what is meant. There is a tiny body 

 called the Hypophysis or Pituitary body which 

 hangs like a small currant from the base of the 

 brain and lies in a hollow in the skull known as 

 the Sella Turcica. Up to a very recent time it- 

 was supposed to be without any special use or 

 function, yet it is now known that it is of the 

 most profound importance, since its functions 

 are associated with the growth in stature of the 

 possessor. Giants, for example a feeble folk in 

 actual life whatever they may be in folk-lore 

 owe their unhappy condition to an excess in 

 size and function of this gland ; the so-called 

 acromegaly. Incidentally it may be remarked 

 that the discovery of these internal secretions 

 has knocked on the head a great deal of the 

 foolish talk in which many of us used to indulge 

 with regard to " Vestigial Organs " ; these 

 organs having turned out to be anything but 

 vestigial, in fact, fraught as in the case of the 

 thyroid with issues of life and death to the 

 individual. And with this discovery there must 

 be jettisoned an infinite amount of phylogenetic I j 

 theory as well. 



Let us take another case : there are two little 

 organs shaped something like cocked hats which 

 sit on the upper margin of either kidney in the 

 human being. These are called the adrenals or 



