THE ADRENAL BODIES 249 



1. What we call the adrenal body represents the anatomi- 

 cal association of two elements, each one of which is derived from 

 a separate and independent system. The adrenal body proper 

 or cortex is part of the " cortical " or " inter-renal " system. 

 The medulla is simply an accumulation of chromaphil cells of 

 the same nature, histologically, chemically, and pharmaco- 

 dynamically, as similar but smaller masses along the 

 sympathetic at other levels. 



2. There is no clear evidence that these two systems are 

 functionally related to one another. 



3. The adrenal medulla (as well as the " chromaphil tissue " 

 generally) is derived from the sympathetic nervous system, 

 and is alleged to facilitate this system's functions in certain 

 physiological emergencies. 



4. The cortex is derived from the germ epithelium and 

 there is considerable evidence that it has important functions 

 in connection with the development of the reproductive 

 organs. 



5. There is a considerable mass of clinical evidence that 

 tumours of the adrenal cortex are frequently associated with 

 sex abnormalities. 1 



6. Additional evidence in the same direction is furnished by 

 the enlargement of the cortex during breeding and pregnancy. 



7. It is possible that a final solution of the problem as to the 

 relation between the adrenal gland and sex will only be arrived 

 at when the wider problem of the relationships between the 

 various ductless glands shall have been solved. 



8. Feeding young animals with adrenal gland substance 

 seems to stimulate the growth of the testis. 



9. Inanition produces marked hypertrophy of the adrenal 

 bodies (McCarrison, Vincent and Hollenberg). 



10. The cortex is the part of the gland which is essential to 

 life. We do not know why its removal causes death, but it is 

 possible that this is due to some defect in muscular metabolism. 



1 The association is frequent, though not constant. 



