THE GENITAL ORGANS 981 



elements then being gradually displaced by connective tissue and 

 glia tissue of a very fibrous type. Hyaline degeneration sets in, lead- 

 ing to the formation of calcareous concretions of calcium phosphate 

 and calcium carbonate which constitute the so-called brain-sand. 



Virchow first called attention to the fact that the pineal gland is 

 frequently the seat of cystic growths and gliomas. The clinical picture 

 presented by persons so afflicted is very similar to that noted in diseases 

 of the pituitary body, with the exception that sexual infantilism is 

 absent.^ There may be observed an obesity and cachexia as well as 

 certain trophic disturbances. Further than this no definite statements 

 can be made, as is evinced, for example, by the recent papers of Horrp^x^ 

 and McCord.^ The first of these leads us to infer that the removal 

 of this gland in male guinea-pigs favors the development of the sexual 

 organs and hastens the sexual maturity and breeding power of the 

 female. The second paper, on the other hand, informs us that the feed- 

 ing of pineal gland to young guinea-pigs hastens their sexual maturity 

 and favors their growth. These series of experiments, therefore, would 

 lead to believe that hypo and hyperpinealism produce practically 

 homologous results, and that the extract of this organ acts as a chalone 

 as well as a hormone. Obviously, further investigation is urgently 

 needed to clear up this point. 



H. THE GENITAL ORGANS 



The Function of the Ovaries. — Since the external and internal 

 secretions of these organs will be dealt with in greater detail in a 

 later chapter, the present discussion may well be restricted to the 

 chemical interrelationship existing between these structures and 

 others. In the first place, it should be noted that the secrptjon of the 

 ovaries may produce either a local or a general effect. Thus, it is a 

 well-known fact that castration in women is followed by regressive 

 changes in their genitals, such as atrophy of the uterus and vagina. 

 This fact has led to the assumption that the ovaries serve as the trophic 

 center for these parts, but since the transplantation of these organs or 

 the grafting of a part of their tissue in other regions of the body does 

 not allow this condition to be developed, this control must be exercised 

 by them with the aid of some chemical agent. This deduction is also 

 justified by a study of the relationship existing between ovulation and 

 menstruation, because it is entirely probable that the latter process is 

 initiated by an active principle secreted by the cells forming the corpus 

 luteum. Lastly, this conclusion is upheld by the disturbing general 

 symptoms which generally follow in the wake of castration. It is a 

 matter of common experience that a woman whose ovaries have been 

 removed for the cure of a tumor or cystic growth, very frequently 



^ Deutsche Zeitschr. ftir Nervenheilkunde, 1909. 



2 Arch. Int. Med., 1916. 



3 Proc, Am. Med. Assoc, June, 1914. 



