152 GLANDS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 



interrelationships of the ductless glands. Let it 

 be emphasized again that the diagram is far from 

 exact, because our knowledge is so incomplete. 

 Where no connection between glands is shown, it 

 does not follow that none exists, but that so far 

 none has been found to exist. Where a connec- 

 tion is shown, we merely mean to imply that the 

 weight of opinion is in favor of such a view, not that 

 it is necessarily the correct view. Let us discuss 

 the meaning of the diagram, taking up each gland 

 in turn. 



Pituitary (A) and sexual glands. Hypopitui- 

 tarism often gives rise to absence of secondary 

 sexual characteristics. In a woman it may show 

 itself by absence of pubic hair, and by arrested 

 development of the breasts. On the other hand, 

 castration results in an enlargement of the pitui- 

 tary. 



That growth depends upon the pituitary has 

 long been known. Growth is very largely com- 

 pleted at puberty. This would explain why most 

 women are smaller than men, since the former 

 reach the stage of puberty before the latter. 



In conformity with the idea that the pituitary 

 and the sexual glands are intimately related, it has 

 been shown that feeding tadpoles with extracts of 

 the anterior lobe of the gland accelerates sexual 

 development ( Goetsch. ) 



(B) And thyroid. The removal of the thyroid 



