ANIMAL TOXINS. 63 



the gland, when the derangements spoken of exist, 

 cause the immediate disappearance of the derange- 

 ments caused by the excision of the gland.* 



Attempts have been made to isolate the active 

 principle of the glands. Notkine isolated a tyro- 

 proteid^ which is not sensibly toxic to animals 

 who still retain the gland, but which becomes toxic 

 when the gland is excised. It seems probable, 

 however, that this product is not the principal 

 agent of the thyroid gland. 



From the researches of Schaefler, Roos, and Sig- 

 mund Fraenkel J it results that the active prin- 

 ciple of the gland is not a toxin, but a purely 

 chemical substance, a true leucomaine, which has 

 received the name thyroantitoxin. 



On the other hand, Baumann quite recently 

 extracted from the thyroid gland an iodized sub- 

 stance, which he named thyroiodine . 



The suprarenal capsules also possess properties 

 that have often attracted the attention of physiol- 

 ogists during the last few years. They are con- 

 sidered as being, just like the thyroid gland, pro- 

 ducers of antotoxins; they destroy, or seem to 



* GLEY: Compt. rend. Soc. de Biol., 1891, p. 250. 



f Semaine Medicate, Apr. 3, 1895, p. 138. 



J Wiener Med. Blatter, No. 48; and Gesellsch. d. Aerzte in 

 Wien, Nov. 22, 1895. 



\Zeitschr. f. Physiol. Chem., xxi. pp. 319 and 481; and xxn, 

 p. i. ARMAND GAUTIER: Chimie Biologique, 2d edit., pp. 330- 

 332. Masson, publ, 



