THE ADRENAL BODIES 143 



life. Its unknown functions may be disturbed without any 

 other results than a hyperpigmentation of skin and mucous 

 membranes. But a lesion of the glands frequently induces 

 death by affection of the nervous system. The pigmentation 

 was confined to the mouth and nostrils, and the authors do not 

 appear to be convinced that it was not accidental and indepen- 

 dent of the lesion of the adrenals. 



Hultgren and Andersson in 1899 published the results of a 

 carefully conducted series of extirpation experiments upon 

 rabbits, cats, and dogs. The effect varied very considerably 

 in different animals. 



In cats the unilateral operation (extirpation of one adrenal) 

 never induced death, but, especially in old cats, there was 

 some temporary disturbance of the general bodily health. 

 Bilateral extirpation in these animals, whether carried out at 

 one, two, or three sittings, led to death, without exception, in a 

 few days. The average duration of survival after extirpation 

 of both adrenals at one operation was 68 hours (nine cases) ; 

 at two operations, 134 hours (eleven cases) ; at three opera- 

 tions, 88 hours (five cases), but in the last instance there were 

 three cases of infection. 



Extirpation of one and amputation of the other gland x in 

 one sitting was generally very badly borne. Of the nine cats 

 operated on in this fashion, only two survived any considerable 

 time ; one died in six hours, probably from the effects of the 

 anaesthetic, and three in thirty to seventy-two hours. In 

 these last the adrenal left behind had undergone necrosis. The 

 three remaining animals died from various diseases within 

 three weeks after the operation. It appears from these experi- 

 ments that the removal of a large part of the adrenal tissue 

 renders the animal more susceptible to infection. 



Extirpation and amputation carried out at two sittings is 

 less dangerous ; out of thirteen animals so treated, two died 

 from the actual operation, and three from necrosis of the 

 adrenal left behind. The remaining eight all lived more than 

 seven days, and of them two died of intercurrent diseases. If 

 the removal of the glands be carried out at several operations, 

 the length of time which elapses between the operations makes 

 no difference to the result. 



1 In these " amputation " experiments a small portion only of one gland 

 was ,left 'behind. 



