Liberation of Epinephrin from the Adrenals. 145 



of epinephrin from the adrenals is still sustained after division of 

 the cord in the cervical region at the levels mentioned, and that 

 this liberation takes place through the splanchnic and other 

 nerves known to be concerned when the spinal cord is still con- 

 nected with the brain. The contrast between the epinephrin 

 output when the cervical cord has been divided and when the dorsal 

 cord has been divided at the levels mentioned is very great. 



86 (1264) 



Quantitative experiments on the liberation of epinephrin from the 

 adrenals after section of their nerves, with special refer- 

 ence to the question whether epinephrin is 

 indispensable for the organism. 



By G. N. Stewart and J. M. Rogoff. 



[From the H. K. dishing Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, 

 School of Medicine, Western Reserve University, Cleveland.] 



1. We showed in a previous paper 1 by the blood pressure and 

 eye reactions that after section of the nerve supply of the adrenal 

 no demonstrable liberation of epinephrin was present in cats as 

 long as five weeks after the nerve section. 



2. As it is easier to detect very small concentrations of epine- 

 phrin by the rabbit intestine and uterus segments, we have made 

 a series of experiments (on 7 cats) in which these tests were used 

 to supplement the eye reactions. In all the animals one adrenal 

 was excised and the nerves of the other cut. 



In a cat tested two weeks after the operation, it was shown 

 that the adrenal blood serum could not have contained 1 : 300,000,- 

 000, or the blood 1 : 400,000,000, of epinephrin; and that the 

 rate of liberation of epinephrin could not have been at most 

 0.000001 mgm. per minute for one adrenal. In another cat three 

 weeks after the operation 2 the serum of the adrenal blood was 

 proved to contain less than 1 : 400,000,000, and the blood less 

 than 1 : 700,000,000 epinephrin. The output of epinephrin per 



1 Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 1916, VIII, 479. 

 ' In this animal after the usual operation the left semilunar ganglion and the 

 first ganglion of the lumbar sympathetic chain below the diaphragm were excised. 



