PINEAL GLANDS 97 



of the Triassic period, throughout the whole family 

 of the Mammalia, and still persist in man. 



Some evidence has lately come to hght which 

 would lead us to add the pineal to the list of glands 

 with an internal secretion. It is true that excision, 

 feeding, and injection of extracts throw no hght on 

 the problem ; but histology shows that it contains 

 in children glandular cells, which more or less atrophy 

 in adults. Tumour of the pineal gland, in about a 

 dozen recorded cases, has been associated with a 

 remarkable precocity, including increased stature, 

 premature development of the genital organs, growth 

 of hair, and, in a few instances, an extraordinary 

 mental vigour. One boy, at the age of five, dis- 

 coursed learnedly concerning the immortality of the 

 soul ! 



REFERENCES. 



Gushing. — "The Pituitary Gland and its Disorders," 1911. 

 BiEDL. — " The Internal Secretory Organs," 1913. 

 KiDD. — Med. Chron., 191 2, vol. xxiv, p. 154. 



