412 INTERNAL SECRETION 



Schmorl's anatomical finding of emboli composed of placenta 

 cells in the lungs and other organs in eclampsia, paved the way 

 for Veit's syncytiolysin theory (1905). Syncytiolysin is 

 supposed to be an antibody, formed in the maternal 

 organism in consequence of the passage of albumin from 

 the syncytial villous coating. If the formation of this 

 antibody does not take place, or is insufficient to 

 combat the flooding of the organism with placental albumin, 

 the latter acts as a toxin and produces the toxic condition known 

 as eclampsia. Ascoli, on the contrary, regards the syncytiolysin 

 as the toxic substance, while, according to Weichardt, the 

 eclampsia toxin is a form of endotoxin which is liberated from 

 the placenta cells by syncytiolysin. 



The premises for these different and entirely contradictory 

 hypotheses^are provided by experiments which show that extracts 

 obtained by various means from placental tissue, have a toxic 

 effect ; that after intraperitoneal injection they produce albumin- 

 uria and other derangements ; and that after intravenous injection 

 they may cause death. A more careful investigation showed, 

 however, that the results are due in part to the action of albumin 

 obtained from animals of a different species (Lichtenstein), and 

 in part to intravascular coagulation (Dryfuss, Martin, Freund, 

 Mathes) caused by the presence of thrombokinase in the placenta. 



Liepmann found that the normal human placenta is prac- 

 tically non-toxic to rabbits, while the eclampsic placenta is 

 extremely toxic, but Dryfuss was unable to confirm these results. 

 He, like Hofbauer, Dienst, and others, holds the view that 

 ferments, in certain cases in increased quantities, pass from the 

 placenta into the maternal blood-stream ; that these break up the 

 leucocytes and bring about increased formation of fibrin-ferments 

 and fibrinogen ; and in consequence of this thromboses and 

 degenerative processes occur in the~~liver and kidneys. 



According to Massini, under normal conditions the placental 

 toxin is neutralized in the thyroid gland, and eclampsia takes 

 place only where there is thyroid insufficiency. According to 

 Vassale, eclampsia is a motor neurosis due to decreased function 

 of the parathyroid glands; he recommends the administration of 

 parathyroidin, and describes favourable results. 



THE INTERNAL SECRETION OF THE 

 PANCREAS. 



In the year 1889, v. Mering and Minkowski discovered that 

 extirpation of the pancreas of dogs is followed, not only by 

 digestive disturbances due to the absence from the intestine of 

 the pancreatic secretion, but by the continued presence of sugar 



