28o PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



mellitus, with the accompanying symptoms of polyuria, great thirst and 

 hunger and some acidosis. The experimental evidence indicates that the 

 pancreas, in addition to its usual function in digestion, secretes a substance 

 which is essential ta the normal bodily metabolism of sugar, which sub- 

 stances (secretins) are probably formed in the so-called island of 

 Langerhans. 



The following statements pertaining to the endocrine secretions of 

 the test^, the ovaries and the mammary glands are taken from a series 

 of popular lectures on biological products by -Parke, Davis and Company. 



4. The Tesies. — The part played by the testes as internal secreting 

 organs is inversely shown by what takes place after castration. The 

 castrated rooster experiences a shrivehng of_the comb, wattles, and spurs, 

 the character of the voice is changed, the neck and tail feathers are 

 poorly developed, and there is an excessive deposit of fat and he becomes 

 more docile. 



Castration of food-producing animals, especially cattle, is often per- 

 formed because of the increased tendency toward fat deposits, and the 

 change in the consistency of the muscular tissues produced, this rendering 

 such tissues more suitable for food; and the dperation makes the animal 

 more docile and quiet. 



The best opportunity of determining the effect of castration on man 

 has been afforded by the custom in certain Eastern countries of thus 

 multilating harem guards. , This practice is also resorted to to some 

 extent by a reUgious sect in Russia, the " Skopzen; " and in Italy it was 

 formerly not an uncommon procedure to castrate male singers during child- 

 hood in order that they might retain the juvenile tone and fibre of the voice. 

 If the operation is performed in early life it results in an absence of sexual 

 power and in infantile development of the external genitals. Castrates 

 do not possess the courage, passions and aspirations of normal men, and 

 they appear to be lacking in the higher artistic endowments. They are 

 said to be tricky, revengeful, and cruel. Their intellectual abilities are 

 not impaired to any considerable extent, as many eunuchs have been 

 men of more than the average intelligence. 



While the existence of an internal secretion of the testes is definitely 

 established and its far-reaching importance clearly recognized, the use of 

 testicular preparations in therapeutics has never achieved any great 

 degree of success. Many years ago the first attempts to apply products 

 of this kind were made, and it was claimed that such treatment brought 

 about an increase in physical and mental vigor. Subsequentinvestiga- 

 tions have not made this claim good. 



5. The Ovaries. — We have abundant evidence of the importance of the 

 ovary as an internal secreting gland. We know, for instance, that there 



