ORGANS OF INTERNAL SECRETION 309 



some of the effects which Brown-Sequard attributed to the 

 use of the extract were in reahty due to suggestion. 



Poehl * claims to have prepared from the testis a substance 

 having the chemical composition represented by the formula 

 CjHj^Ng. He believes this substance, which he calls spermine, 

 to be the active principle of Brown-Sequard's testicular extract, 

 stating that it has a beneficial influence over the metabolism of 

 the body and acts as a physiological tonic. (See p. 285.) 



Zoth,^ and also Pregel,^ state that they have obtained 

 evidence by ergographic records of the stimulating action of 

 testicular extracts upon the neuro-muscular apparatus in the 

 human subject. They are of opinion that the injection of 

 such extracts results in a decrease of nervous and muscular 

 fatigue, and at the same time diminishes the subjective fatigue 

 sensations. 



The composition and physiological properties of testicular 

 extract have also been investigated by Dixon,* who found it to 

 contain proteins, organic substances unaltered by boihng, and 

 inorganic salts. Nucleoprotein was especially plentiful. In- 

 jection into the circulation caused a fall of blood pressure due 

 chiefly to cardiac inhibition, but no very striking or interesting 

 results. 



Walker ' appears to be dubious about the efficacy of testicular 

 medication, stating that the injection of fluid extract into 

 castrated dogs had no effect in arresting the atrophy of the 

 prostate gland {of. de Bonis, see Chapter VII., p. 239). It is 

 possible, however, that the " active principle " of the testicular 

 secretion was destroyed in the preparation of the extract, and 



' Poehl, "Weitere Mitteilungen iiber Spermin," Berliner IcHn. Wochen- 

 schrift, 1891. 



^ Zoth, " Zwei ergographische Versuchsreihen iiber die Wirknng orchi- 

 tisohen 'EiyLtxa,ote&" Pjluger's Archiv, vol. Ixii., 1896. 



' Pregel, "Zwei weitere ergographische Versuchsreihen," &g., Pjluger's 

 ^rci^w, vol. Ixii., 1896. 



* Dixon, "A Note on the Action of Poehl's Spermine," Jour, of Phys., 

 vol. XXV., 1900 ; " The Composition and Action of Orchitic Extracts," Jour, 

 of Phys., vol. xxvi., 1901. According to Hervieux, the interstitial gland of 

 the testis contains a ferment which splits neutral fats, and converts dextrin, 

 maltose, and glycogen into glucose but has no action on lactose {G. R. de la 

 Soc. Biol, vol. Ix., 1906). 



5 Walker (G.), " Experimental Injection of Testicular Fluid," &c., Johns 

 Hopkins Hospital Bulletin, vol. xi., 1900. 



