9 o THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TISSUES AND ORGANS. 
This discovery of a compound containing iodine in the animal body 
is a very remarkable one, but is not unique. Almost simultaneously with 
Baumann's announcement, Drechsel l published a research on the horny 
skeleton of Gorgonia cavolinii. Here he found iodine in organic com- 
bination, and on decomposition the skeleton yielded a crystalline amido- 
acid (iodo-gorgonic acid) of uncertain constitution, and with the formula 
C 4 H 8 NI0 2 . Drechsel has also found iodine in the hair of a syphilitic 
patient, taking iodide of potassium. With reference to the thyroid, he 
suggests the very reasonable hypothesis that this organ produces more 
than one active substance, and that the different substances have 
different actions. He has confirmed the existence both of Baumann's 
iodo-thyrin and of Frankel's thyreo-antitpxin, and has further separ- 
ated out a second crystalline base. Hutchison, 2 however, finds that 
the proteid-free extracts which contain these bases are physiologically 
inactive. He finds that the activity is connected with the iodine-con- 
taiihng colloid substance. He distinguishes between the colloid of the 
acini and the nucleo-proteid of the epithelium lining them. The former 
is the active constituent, and is by gastric digestion decomposed into 
two parts. One part is proteid ; it contains a little iodine, and has 
feeble physiological powers. The other part is not proteid, and not 
nuclein. It is more active, and contains the greater part of the iodine 
and all the phosphorus of the original colloid. 
The suprarenal body. — In this gland, in addition to proteids and 
the usual extractives and salts (among which potassium phosphate is 
the most abundant), various other substances have been described, such 
as hippuric and taurocholic acid, 3 benzoic acid, taurine, 4 and inosite. 5 
The chemistry of the suprarenal is of especial interest because of the 
work of Schafer and Oliver 6 on the action of extracts obtained from 
it. It is now generally believed that the function of the gland is 
secretory, and that the fatal effects of its removal in animals, or 
disease in man (Addison's disease), is due to the removal of an internal 
secretion, and not to auto-intoxication from the non-removal of waste 
products. 7 The active principle is obtained from extracts of the 
medulla of the healthy gland : it is absent in advanced cases of Addi- 
son's disease. 
The earlier observers 8 were inclined to attribute the toxic 
results of suprarenal injections to neurine. This is not so. Neurine 
1 Ztschr. f. Biol., Miinchen, 1896, Bd. xxxiii. S. S3; Ccntralbl. f. Physiol., Leipzig, 
Bd. ix. S. 704. 
2 Brit. Med. Journ., London, 1896, vol. i. p. 722; 1897, vol. i. p. 4; Jov.m. Physiol., 
Cambridge and London, 1896, vol. xx. p. 474. 
3 Cloez and Vulpian, Compt. rend. Acad. d. sc, Paris, 1857, tome ii. p. 10 ; Gaz. mid. 
de Paris, 1858, No. 24. 
4 Seligsohn, Diss., Berlin, 1858; Holm, Journ. f. prakt. Chem., Leipzig, Bd. e. S. 150. 
Stadelmann could not confirm these statements, Ztschr. f. physiol. Chem., Strassburg, Bd. 
xviii. Possibly these substances are absorbed from the neighbouring gall bladder and 
kidney. 
5 Kiilz, Sitzimgsb. <L Gesellsch. z. Befbrd. d. ges. Nahirw. mi Marburg, 1876, No. 4. 
6 Journ. Physiol., Cambridge and London, 1895, vol. xviii. p. 230. Some speculations 
as to the function of the cortex by Auld will be found, Brit. Med. Journ., London, July 
4, 1896 ; Manasse, Virchow's Archiv, Bd. exxxv. S. 263. 
7 The discovery of hremochromogen in the medulla of the organ by MacMunn (Proc. Boy. 
Soc. London, Bd. xxxix. S. 248) appeared to favour the removal hypothesis. 
8 Pellacani, Arch, per It sc. mcd., Torino, 1874, vol. iii. ; Foa, ibid., 1884, vol. viii. ; 
Marino-Zucco, Chem. Centr.-BL, Leipzig, 1SS8 ; Vntersuch. ;. Naturl. d. Mensch. u. d. 
Thicr, Bd. xiv. ; Arch. ital. de biol., Turin, vol. x. 
