HISTORICAL 5 



Various theories as to the use of the tonsils have been 

 propounded and will be dealt with immediately. But, 

 except for the extravagant idea that they were associa- 

 ted with sexual function (as taught by Chassaignac, 

 according to Mackenzie) the functions proposed have 

 been subsidiary and trivial for the most part. 



That appendix and tonsils in some w^ay protected 

 the body against alimentary poisons must have oc- 

 curred to a number of thinkers. Adami concedes the 

 likelihood of this. A similar idea has been elaborated 

 by the present writer in several papers in 1911, 1912 

 and 1913. McCulloch (1913) claims to have anticipated 

 some of these views in 1907. 



