33^ 



NATURE 



[June 22, 1916 



INTERNAL SECRETIONS. 



The Endocrine Organs: An Introduction to the 

 Study of Internal Secretion. By Sir E. A. 

 Schafer. Pp. ix+156. (London: Longmans, 

 Green and Co., 1916.) Price 105. 6d. net. 



THE matter in this book represents the sub- 

 stance of the Lane Medical Lectures, given 

 at the Stanford University, California, in 1913. 

 It deals with a subject which is of increasing 

 interest and importance to a large number of 

 readers, and in which Sir Edward Schafer has 

 himself done pioneer work. 



The object of the volume is "to supply a con- 

 cise account of our present knowledge of the 

 subject for the benefit of students and practi- 

 tioners who may be desirous of obtaining more 

 information regarding the internal secretions than 

 is afforded by the ordinary text-books of physio- 

 logy, but have not the time or opportunity to 

 peruse extensive monographs or consult original 

 articles." 



The work is very well got up ; there are 104 

 illustrations, which for the most part are care- 

 fully chosen and splendidly reproduced. The 

 space which these demand probably necessitates 

 a large page, which is the only technical fault to 

 be found with the production of the book. 



There is rather much new terminology for a 

 volume of the size and scope of the present one. 

 The author proposes, for the internal secretions, 

 the general term autacoids (avrds, self, and 

 aK05, a medicinal agent), and he divides the auta- 

 coids into hormonic and chalonic autacoids, 

 according as their action is to be regarded as 

 excitatory or depressant. According to this classi- 

 fication, an autacoid is to be called a hormone 

 only if its action is an excitatory one. The idea 

 is doubtless a good one in many respects, but 

 the author is not unaware of the shortcomings 

 of such a classification, and anticipates some of 

 these on page 7 in considering the action of 

 adrenalin in causing excitation in some struc- 

 tures and inhibition in others, by regarding both 

 phenomena as being due to sympathetic stimula- 

 tion ; the adrenalin thus acts as a hormone in 

 both cases, stimulating on the one hand an ex- 

 citatory mechanism, on the other an inhibitory 

 one. It is not clear why all the so-called chalones 

 might not be regarded in like manner, at all 

 events provisionally, since the evidence for the 

 existence of some at least of them is by no means 

 strong. 



Names are also suggested for hypothetical 

 autacoids, e.g., parathyrine from the parathy- 

 roids, and insuline from the islet tissue of the 

 pancreas, but these names are, of course, only 

 of a provisional nature. 



The best chapters are those dealing with the 

 thyro-parathyroid group and those which treat of 

 the pituitary body and suprarenal. The clinical 

 material introduced is of especial interest. 



There is a misprint of importance on page 58, 

 where, in dealing with the synthesis of adrenalin, 

 the words " methyl-acetyl-pyrocatechin " should 

 read " methylamino-acetyl-pyrocatechin." 



NO. 2434, VOL. 97] 



Investigations connected with the internal 

 secretions are beset with innumerable pitfalls, 

 and it is easy for the zealous to discover what 

 they seek, unless great care is taken not to read 

 too much into the results obtained. The caution 

 required in drawing conclusions is exemplified in 

 the case of the hormones causing "secretion" 

 of milk : such bodies appear to be present, not 

 only in the blood of non-lactating animals (p. 95)^ 

 but also in the pituitary of the skate (p. 99)^ 

 which also acts on the uterus, yet does not in- 

 fluence the blood pressure or the kidney. 



One feature of the book should make it welcome- 

 to a general reader, namely, the reduction of 

 references and conflicting statements to a mini- 

 mum. In the chapters dealing with the inter- 

 relations of the various organs this impression 

 cannot in any case very well be avoided, as ex- 

 treme conclusion? have been pushed by many 

 workers, and conflicting statements are too often 

 the only ones available. 



There is no doubt that the book will appeal 

 to a wide circle of readers. 



SIR GEORGE DARWIN'S LECTURES. 

 Scientific Papers by Sir G. H. Darwin. Vol. V. 

 Supplementary Volume containing Biographical 

 Memoirs by Sir Francis Darwin and Prof. 

 E. W. Brown, Lectures on Hill's Lunar Theory, 

 etc. Edited by F. J. M. Stratton and J. Jack- 

 son. Pp. lv + 8i. (Cambridge: At the 

 University Press, 1916.) Price 65. net. 

 'T'HE previous four volumes contain all the 

 -■- papers that Sir George Darwin desired to 

 see reprinted ; and, although there remain many 

 scientific reports on geodesy and the tides, the 

 editors of this supplementary volume have 

 adhered to his judgment in excluding them. The 

 chief occasion for adding a fifth volume is in 

 order that Darwin's course of lectures on Hill's 

 lunar theory may be included. These lectures 

 were delivered to his classes of students at Cam- 

 bridge, and naturally do not contain original con- 

 tributions to science; indeed, Darwin in his 

 scientific investigations scarcely touched on this 

 subject. But it was through this course that 

 ■several well-known astronomers were first intro- 

 duced to Hill's work, who have since greatly 

 developed on these lines our knowledge of the 

 moon's motion. The lectures will now be read 

 by a wider circle, and they thoroughly deserve 

 to be well known. A very clear presentation of 

 the principles of the method is given, and the 

 more tedious analytical development is cut short 

 where necessary with excellent judgment. This 

 volume contains also Darwin's last paper on 

 periodic orbits, published in 191 2, too late for 

 inclusion with his other papers on the subject. 



The reader will turn with the greatest pleasure 

 to the two biographical memoirs by Sir Francis 

 Darwin and Prof. E. W. Brown. The former 

 gives a vivid personal sketch of his brother. The 

 story of the early life at Down is of interest not 

 only on account of George Darwin, but for the 

 incidental references to his illustrious father. 



