The Colorado statesman., 1915-02-27
THE PITUITARY GLAND.

The puzzle of the pituitary gland
(hypophysis cerebr) presents one of
those curious instances known to med
1cal history wherein widely contradic-
tory observations make it difficult to
confirm the answer to any given
question concerning the physiology
and the pathology of the organ or
the action (function) of the gland
either in health or in disease.
Even in the apparently extremely
simple propositions as to whether the
organ is essential to life we find the
investigators divided into two groups.
one group comprising those who main
tain that the gland is Indispensable
to life and the other, almost equal in
number, holding it to be nonessential
to life.
Undoubtedly the confusion is large
ly due to the fact that the position
of this gland is such that it is extreme
ly inaccessible to operative interfer-
ences, so that attempts to remove it
are usually attended with fatal results
from the operation itself; hence we
are able to learn but little if anything
concerning the significance of the
organ in this way, and are forced to
depend for our knowledge concerning
the pituitary gland on what may be
revealed by pathological anatomy and
clinical observation. Then, too, this
body, while not much larger than
pea, consists of two parts or lobes,
very closely blended, but one distinct
ly larger and of structure distinctly
different from that of the other.
The larger anterior lobe is of
glandular structure and belongs to the
type of glands which are believed to
form an internal secretion. The much
smaller posterior lobe is of nervous
origin and composed chiefly of net
like framework of fibers, the inter
stices being filed with brain cells.
The two lobes are very closely associ-
ated, the neck of the posterior lobe
being completely enveloped or sur
rounded by the epithelium of the an
terror lobe, this insuring an intimate
interaction in function.
Howell and others have shown that
extracts of the anterior lobe when in
jected into the veins have little or no
physiological effect, while extracts OF
the posterior lobe, on the contrary,
cause marked rise of blood pressure
and a slowing of the heartbeat.
These effects resemble in general
those obtained from adrenal extracts
but differ in some details. For in
stance, an extract of the pituitary gland
known as "pituritin" is prepared for
use in medicine and has been used for
the stopping of hemorrhage after
childbirth, since it acts like "adrena-
lin" but maintains it's action longer.
And OFT discovered that extracts of
this body stimulate the activity of the
mammary glands and constitute in ef-
feet an efficient galactagogue (milk.
forming stimulant).
1t is generally believed that the pitu.
itary body, in relation with the other
Duct SIS glands, helps to promote the
normal growth of the body, particu'
larly the bones, and there Is evidence
associating disturbance of pituitary
function with deranged nitrogen, cal
cium and phosphorus metabolism.
knowledge derived from the action of
other glands on these elements proves
this alone to be a highly important
function and sufficient to justify the
existence of the gland.
Pierre Marie in 1886 appears to have
first associated a disease known as
acromegaly (gigantism) with the pitui-
tary body; the idea was accepted and
the connection has since been con-
firmed by many until at the present
time it is generally conceded that
there are two distinct clinical entities.
both disturbances of growth, to be as
cribed to deranged functioning on the
part of the pituitary gland One of
these is acromegaly, a disease char
acterized by the enlargement of GER
tain bones; the other Is distinguished
by delayed development with adj
posity Excessive development of fat)
and general atrophy "a wasting from
lack of nutrition).
Regarding the exact nature of the
disturbance in the pituitary gland in
acromegaly. there is still considerable
difference of opinion. but the weight
of evidence favors the view that it is
due to increased secretion of the an
terror lobe. The pathologic condition
most frequently associated with aero
megaly is an enlargement of the an
terror lobe with material increase in
the secretory cells. There seems to
be some antagonistic relation between
the pituitary gland and the sexual
glands (ovaries and testes), and it is
perfectly well known that when an
animal is spayed it grows abnormally
large; this would seem to prove that
the latter exert restraining influence
over the former, probably preventing
its oversecretion. Obviously this i'm.
plies that whatever will favor general
health conditions tends to regulate the
action of the powerful ductless glands