THE GENITAL GLANDS 13 



probably it is merely the consequence of a mutilating 

 operation preying on the mind of a broken-down 

 individual. In younger and healthier adults there 

 is no mental change or loss of capacity. 



The atrophy of the prostate is not constant, but 

 the effects of castration have been taken advantage 

 of to reduce the size of a prostatic enlargement 

 causing obstruction. Ligature or excision of the vas 

 deferens blocks the way for the external secretion 

 of the testis, and leads to atrophy of the tubules 

 and consequent sterihty, but the internal secretion 

 of the interstitial cells is not affected unless the 

 main vessels of the cord are tied. 



In boys, the results of castration are more far- 

 reaching, causing not only sterihty but also failure of 

 the secondary sexual characters (eunuchism). As 

 is well known, the operation has been practised for 

 centuries upon the attendants and guards of the 

 harem at Oriental courts. The beard and moustache 

 do not usually appear, the voice is childish, the body 

 fat, and the mental attitude to the world modified, 

 although there is no loss of business capacity. The 

 prostate and vesiculae are atrophic, but there is not 

 necessarily impotence. In cocks, testicular grafting 

 partially obviated the effects of castration. Indeed, 

 it is even recorded that in a hen, after removal of the 

 ovaries, testicular grafting caused the bird to grow 

 a comb, wattles, and spurs, and start to crow, but 

 this requires confirmation. 



Following upon Brown-Sequard's famous con- 

 tention that feeding or injection of testicular extract 

 had made him at 72 a young man again, attempts 



