[ 41 ] 



IV. 



Contributions to the Comparative Anatomy and Histology of the Suprarenal 

 Capsules.— The Suprarenal Bodies in Fishes, and their Relation to the so-called 

 Head-Kidney. By Swale Vincent, M.B.Lond., Demonstrator of Physiology and 

 Assistant Lecturer on Histology, Mason College, Birmingham i. 



Received September 28th, 1895, read November 19th, 1895. 



[Plates IX.-XIV.] 



Contents. 



Page 



I. Introductory 41 



II. Historical 43 



III. Classified List of Species examined .... 50 



IV. Gross Anatomy 51 



1. Elasmobranchii 51 



2. Ganoidei ' 55 



3. Teleostei 56 



4. Dipnoi 63 



Y. Histology 64 



1. Elasmobranchii 64 



2. Ganoidei 69 



3. Teleostei 70 



4. Dipnoi 72 



VI. On the Relation of the Suprarenal Bodies 



to the Head-Kidney 73 



1. Historical 73 



Page 



2. The Nature of the Intertubular 



Material in the Kidneys .... 76 



3. Histology of the Head-Kidney . . 76 



4. Function of the Lymphatic Head- 



Kidney 78 



5. Relation of the Suprarenals to the 



Head-Kidney 78 



VII. Summary and Conclusions 79 



A. Gross Anatomy 79 



B. Histology 79 



C. Head-Kidney 79 



VIII. Bibliography 80 



A. On the Suprarenal Bodies 80 



B. Head-Kidney, &c 81 



Explanation of the Plates 81 



I. Introductory. 



1 HAVE been led to investigate the suprarenal capsules in Fishes because their 

 importance in Man and Mammals generally is no longer a matter of doubt. Their 

 function is not yet completely known, but we shall, I imagine, not go far wrong if we 

 state that in Mammals the suprarenal bodies are secreting-glands, and that they pour 

 some material into the blood which is essential for the maintenance of the normal tone 

 of the muscles throughout the body. But this function appears to be confined to the 

 medullary portion of the gland, and, since the two portions are so strikingly different 



' Towards the expenses of this research a grant has been made by the British Medical Association, at the 

 recommendation of the Scientific Grants Committee of the Association. 



VOL. XIV. — PART III. No. 1. — April, 1897. Q 



