ADENOLOGY. THE ENDOCRINOUS GLANDS AND THEIR EXTRACTS 291 



of appetite, reduced tonicity of muscle and of the nerves, disturbance of 

 the digestive function, low blood pressure, subnormal temperature, and 

 feeble respiration. A very common complication of Addison's disease 

 and of dys-function generally, is general tuberculosis which is believed 

 to have its origin in the adrenals. This Jed to the supposition that 

 these glands secreted an antitoxin or antibody against tuberculosis. 



The correlative activities of the thyroids and the adrenals are very 

 definitely demonstrated. The secretions of the adrenals constrict the 

 blood vessels (capillaries) while the thyroid secretions dilate them, adrenals 

 retard digestion while the thyroids promote this function, thyroids in- 

 crease the heart action while adrenals retard it. 



PRESERVATION AND STORAGE OF BIOLOGIC PRODUCTS 



Biological products (sera of all kinds, vaccines, bacterins and glan- 

 dular extracts, etc.) are organic in nature and are readily decomposed. 

 Some kinds of biologies are more readily decomposed than others. Some 

 retain their physiological and therapeutic properties for comparatively 

 long periods of time, provided they are properly stored (as diphtheria 

 antitoxin), while others deteriorate quite rapidly even when kept under 

 ideal conditions (as lutein, pollen extracts, and antirabic vaccine). 



The chief factors which hasten the deterioration of biologies are: 



1. SimUght, More Specifically the Actinic Rays. Therefore, biologies 

 must be kept in the dark. 



2. Air, the Oxygen of the Air. The manufacturer protects most of the 

 biologies against this factor by placing the suitable amounts in hermet- 

 ically sealed containers. Under no circumstance are containers to be 

 opened until the preparation is to be used, and then only by the physi- 

 cian, under proper conditions. 



3. Temperature. Biologies are very susceptible to temperature 

 changes. It is claimed that freezing does not cause deterioration of the 



" productsand apparently this is weU substantiated by numerous observers. 

 It would appear, however, that a biologic which has been frozen for a time 

 win deteriorate more rapidly should it subsequently be exposed to the 

 unfavorable conditions of hght, air, etc., as compared with a biologic 

 which had not been frozen but otherwise similarly kept and exposed. 

 AH biologies are quite rapidly decomposed and rendered useless by 

 higher temperatures (60° C. and up). Therefore, all biologies should be 

 kept on ice all of the time, unldl wanted for use. ■' 



4. Moisture. Many, but not by any means all, biologies are in con- 

 tainers which exclude outside moisture. Such biologic preparations as 

 are in the form of dry extracts or dry vaccines, or tablets and pellets, 

 should be kept away from moisture. A safe rule to follow.js to keep all 



