25 



within an hour or two, because the second injection 

 produces no rise, but even a fall of blood-pressure. 



It will be gathered that pituitary extract should 

 not be given for acromegaly or gigantism, just as 

 thyroid extract must not be given for Graves' disease, 

 or it may make matters worse, and cases are on 

 record in which this has actually happened; on the 

 other hand, there is no convincing clinical evidence 

 that pituitary extract will cure acromegaly. 



There is, however, a prospect of relief for sufferers 

 from acromegaly and gigantism by operative inter- 

 ference. And finally, we have the hope set before 

 us that pituitary extract may be the specific for 

 infantilism and adiposity, and even add inches to 

 the stature of our diminutive youths and maidens. 

 If so, Mr. H. G. Wells' " Food of the Gods " is 

 already on the market ! For this purpose the 

 anterior part of the gland will need to be used, 

 whereas for the diuretic and vasoconstrictor effects 

 the posterior lobe is required. 



Extract of the posterior lobe is being tried in 

 obstetrics and gynaecology as a substitute for ergot, 

 its action on the musculature and blood-vessels of 

 the uterus being very similar. 



REFERENCES. 



OLIVER AND SCHAFER. Journal of Physiology, 1895, vol. 



xviii., p. 277. 

 PAULESCO. "L'hypophyse du cerveau," Vigot Freres, Paris, 



1908. 



SCHAFER. " The Functions of the Pituitary Body," Croonian 

 Lecture, Proc. Royal Soc., 1909, Ixxxi. p. 442 (with 

 bibliography) . 



GUSHING. Amer. Jour. Med. Set., 1910, vol. cxxxix. p. 473. 



EISELSBERG. Annals of Surgery, July, 1910, p. i. 



