CHAPTER XII 



ADENOLOGY. THE ENDOCRINOUS GLANDS AND THEIR 



EXTRACTS 



Adenology is the science which treats of glands, their structure, func- 

 tion and uses in the animal economy. The functional activities of the 

 glands with ducts have been known for a long time, but it is only within 

 recent years that the ductless glands have received serious attention. 

 Sajous proposed the term hemadenology for the science which treats of the 

 ductless glands, which translated into EngUsh means the science of blood 

 glands. The German scientists spoke of the ductless gland as Blutdriisen 

 or Blutgefassdriisen, because of the fact that these glands were highly 

 vascular and formed certain substances which were poured into the blood 

 circulation. The term endocrinology is also much used meaning the science 

 of internal secretions, the secretions of the ductless glands and also of the 

 duct glands which pass into the general circulation directly, being so 

 designated. Since products derived from glands with ducts are used 

 medicinally, the term hemadenology is not suitable, and the terms 

 adenology and endocrinology are etymologicaUy more correctly applicable. 



The recent investigations in glandular functions have demonstrated 

 that the subject of immunology is intimately bound up with the activities 

 of the glands and of the body cells. It is now known that the duct glands 

 not only secrete substances which leave the gland by way of the duct, 

 but certain other illy defined though important end products of cellular 

 activity, which pass directly into the blood circulation by way of the 

 ultimate capillaries; that is, these glands also secrete true endocrine sub- 

 stances, similar to those secreted by the ductless glands. From this it 

 would appear that the dividing line between duct gland and ductless gland 

 cannot any longer be sharply drawn, at least not from the viewpoint of 

 functional activities. 



The study and use of glands and of glandular secretions is not by any 

 means recent. As early as 600 B.C. testicular extracts were used in the 

 treatment of obesity. The keen interest in overcoming the excessive 

 accumulation of adipose tissue was occasioned by the fact that those 

 good senators of Sparta and also of Rome, who through a Hfe of indolence 

 and gluttony, had become excessively obese were liable to be haled before 

 a committee and threatened with dismissal from an easy and lucrative job 

 unless they reduced decidedly and forthwith. The modern interest in 

 internal secretions dates back about thirty years, and is clearly traceable to 



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