Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-26
SECRE1IONS OF ANIMAL BODY
THEME OF ADDRESS BY DIR.
sCHAEFER OF EDINBURGH.
Description of Structures and Or
gans The Functions of Which
Have Hitherto Been Unknown.

DIR. E. A. Schaefer. fellow of the Royal
Society and professor of physiology at
the University of Edinburgh. Scotland. de-
livered lecture for the George Washing
ton University the 23d instant. his sub
ject being that OF the internal secretions
of the animal body. For centuries 1t has
been known that there existed in the bod
les of both man and the lower animals
many structures or organs the functions
of which were unknown, or but imperfect
ly and often enormously guessed at With
in the last twenty years Prof. Schaefer.
in his Laboratories at University College.
London, and later at the University Of
Edinburgh. has been devoting his especial
attention to solving the purposes of these
organs in the animal anatomy.
For the benefit of those who have not
made a study of anatomy It may be
st ated that these organs are very small
and insignificant in size. They have been
described and considered by workers IL
anatomy and physiology more curiosi-
ties than as real necessities. but under
the investigation of Dr. Schaefer and
others are shown to be not only not in
significant and unessential. but in reality
of the very greatest Importance to life.
The bodies that Prof. Schafer particu-
larly referred to in his lecture before
the George Washington University were
the superrenal capsules. the abrenals and
the pituitary body. The abrenals are
much larger than silver dollar and of
very little thickness. situated in close
proximity to the upper parts of the two
kidneys
Minute Organism.
The pituitary body is even a more
minute structure. not larger than the
kernel of a Good-sized filbert. This lit
tie body is located in the small bony
cavity within the skull. and is directly
connected with the base of the brain.
The most important known function
of the abrenals seems to be to secrete a
substance which when poured into the
blood stream causes the blood vessels
to contract in proportion to the amount
of secretion circulating in the blood
This contraction of the blood vessels
is of great Importance in preserving the
proper distribution of the blood to the
different parts of the body. The pltu1-
tary body is shown by Prof. Schaefer to
have somewhat the same function as
have the abrenals, but what is of far
more importance and significance. an
other function that it possesses is stim-
ulating the activity of the kidneys
The particular importance of this dis
covery can hardly be realized at the
present moment. but it is stated that
many lives heretofore lost by failure
of the kidneys to perform their func-
tions will be saved by the application of
the knowledge Of this body, heretofore
regarded as insignificant.
Those Present.
Prof Schaefer's lecture was attended by
the members Of the George Washington
University Medical Association. as we'll as
by all of the medical students in the
university and also by the members of
the profession of the city generally. Fol-
lowing Prof. Schaefers lecture was re-
ception and smoker given him by the
University Medical Society.
Prof. Schaefer will remain in this coun-
try until some time in June. during which
time he will visit Chicago and Cleveland.
He will be the guest of the American
Medical Association at its meeting in the
last named city. Later he expects to visit
Toronto and other parts of Canada.