982 THE INTERNAL SECRETIONS 



develops well-defined general symptoms of a nervous and metabolic 

 kind. These disturbances are manifested most typically by vaso- 

 motor reactions, commonly called ''hot flushes, " sensations of alternat- 

 ing heat and cold, sweating, vertigo, muscular pains, and headache. 

 In fact, in severe cases certain psychoneurotic conditions may arise 

 which finally lead to mental aberrations. The contention that these 

 symptoms are attributable to the loss of an internal secretion of the 

 ovaries, is strikingly betrayed by the results of organotherapy. If an 

 extract of whole ovary is administered to the castrated women, these 

 symptoms most generally lose their intense character and are shortened 

 in their duration; in fact, it is not at all uncommon to see them disap- 

 pear altogether in consequence of this treatment. Moreover, the fact 

 that extracts of the entire ovary are more beneficial than extracts of 

 corpus luteum, seems to show that this general metabolic hormone is 

 not necessarily a product of the corpus luteum or Graafian follicles. 

 Bouin^ refers this function to the peculiar stroma cells which he 

 designates as the glande inter stitielle Vovaire. 



While these local and general effects following the removal of the 

 ovaries, are quite definite, it has not been established as yet whether 

 the active principle of these organs acts directly or indirectly through 

 the secretions of other ductless glands. It has previously been shown 

 that the ovary is in functional relation with other endocrine organs, 

 thus forming a special group which might be named the sexual glands. 

 It is a well-known fact that Graves disease is very deleterious to preg- 

 nancy and that operations upon the pelvic organs are prone to intensify 

 the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Castration also increases the 

 weight of the hypophysis, thymus, and adrenal glands. 



The Function of the Testes. — It has been known for some time that 

 the testioles furnish an internal secretion in addition to their external 

 product, the spermatozoa. Quite aside from the claim of Brown- 

 S^quard, that extract of testicle possesses an invigorating influence, it 

 has been shown by Poehl^ that ''spermin" acts as a ''physiological 

 catalytic" and increases the action of the heart and digestive organs. 

 Later on Zoth and PregP proved by means of the ergograph that 

 testicular extract augments the muscular power by as much as 50 

 per cent, and diminishes muscular fatigue. A more general influence 

 of the testes upon the general condition of the body is evinced by the' 

 symptoms following the total removal of these organs. This proce- 

 dure which is commonly known as castration or spaying, has been 

 practised upon animals since the earHest times. In the case of the 

 domestic animals, such as the bulls, stallions, rams and cocks, the in- 

 variable result is an insufficient development of the sexual organs and 

 secondary sexual characteristics. Their transformation, however, is 

 never complete, i.e., castrated males never completely assume the 



1 Compt. rend., 1907, 337. 



2 Zeitschr. fur kiln. Med., 1894. 



3 Pfluger's Archiv, Ixii, 1896, 335. 



