572 The Action of Pituitary Extracts upon the Kidney. 



venous injection, but of a far less marked character and coming on only 

 gradually and after a long interval. Introduction of the extract into the 

 stomach is followed by even less noticeable effects. It is inferred that the 

 active constituents are not absorbed by the gastric mucous membrane with 

 sufficient rapidity to produce the usual symptoms. 



Intravenous injections of extracts from the anterior or epithelial lobe of 

 the pituitary body do not produce diuresis : these extracts exhibit no physio- 

 logical activity. 



It is concluded that the infundibular part of the gland produces an 

 internal secretion which passes into the blood and which, both indirectly 

 owing to its general action upon the vascular system and directly by its 

 special action on the renal vessels and renal epithelium, assists in promoting 

 and regulating the secretion of urine ; in other words, the internal secretion 

 of the gland is ancillary to the renal functions. 



Finally the relations of the pituitary body to the functions of the supra- 

 renal and thyroid glands and to the production of acromegaly are briefly 

 discussed. 



