166 



THE SEX-COMPLEX 



Beiteration 

 of essential 

 sex-differ- 

 ences in 

 metabolism. 



Suprarenal 

 cortical 

 tumours and 

 derange- 

 ments of sex- 

 character- 

 istics. 



as the suprarenals and pituitary, are also more masculine 

 than feminine in type. 



It will not be waste of time to reiterate for a moment 

 the essential differences that occur in the metabolism in 

 response to stimulation from the masculinity-producing 

 secretions. Probably the most important and obvious 

 changes are associated with the metabolism of the lime 

 salts. The male skeleton is far heavier and stronger 

 than that of the female, so in men one of the most 

 essential metabolic conditions is a considerable calcium 

 retention during growth ; besides, there is normally in 

 men a stable and invariable metabolism of calcium 

 during the reproductive period. In women there is less 

 calcium retention during growth, and throughout her 

 reproductive life rapid alterations in the metabolism 

 of lime salts occur during menstruation, pregnancy and 

 lactation. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that 

 those parts of the hormonopoietic system which are 

 largely concerned in the storage of calcium and the 

 building up of the skeleton will also, when abnormally 

 active in the female, produce or lead to the production 

 of other masculine characteristics, such as growth of 

 hair on the face and alterations in the formation of the 

 larynx and breasts. 



We have already seen, that hyperplasia and neo- 

 plasia of the suprarenal cortices in girls before puberty 

 lead to the production of male characteristics. These 

 growths have generally been found to be malignant, so 

 no further relevant history has been obtained in regard 

 to the cases recorded 1,2 . 



Many instances of suprarenal cortical tumours 

 (fig. 54) and hyperplasia (fig. 55) in adult women 

 associated with alterations in the sex-characteristics 

 have been described 3 . 



1 Bulloch, W„ and J. H. Sequeira, Trans. Path. Soc, 1905, vol. lvi, 

 p. 189. 



2 Glynn, E. E., Quart. Joum. Med., 1912, vol. v, p. 157, 



3 Glynn, E. E., and J. T. Hewetson, Joum. Pathol, and Bacieriol., 

 1913, vol. xviii, p. 81. 



