The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-24

1neSe glands play remarka bic
role in mans physical and mental
well-being. It is role which twen-
tieth-century research is only be-
ginning to disclose.
Mans mastery over himself and
his environment will grow as more
is revealed about these glands.
n
Essential to Growth
IN addition to the ductless glands.
l. the body contains certain glands
which have direct outlets or ducts
for the discharge of their secretions.
Some glands such as the pancreas
serve more than one function, act
ing both as ductless glands and as
ordinary glands. 1t is necessary,
therefore, to place such a gland in
both categories.
The known ductleSS glandS-and
1t IS well to emphasize the fact that
medical men are not even certain
that all the ductleSS glands have
been Observation-Disclosures the thy
roid, the parathyroidS, the pituitary
body, the pancreas, and certain areas
Of the stomach and upper intestine.
among the other organs of the
body which are thought by some
investigators to furnish hormones
as we'll as to carry on their more
obvious and better known functions.
are the thymus, the pineal body,
spleen, liver, kidneys and lymph
glands.
Some investigators also suspect
the heart of furnishing certain hor-
moneS. All these beliefs, however.
are yet in the realm of conjecture
and require considerable investiga-
ton either to establish them or to
rule them out.
Professor F. M. Guyer of the Uni
versity Of Michigan, in a recent adj
dress before the Iowa Academy of
Science, discussed the Importance of
the endocrine glands.
The Secretions themselves are
second in Importance only to the
nervous system in keeping the parts
OF the body in harmonious opera
tion," he said.
They are also necessary for nor
NAL development and growth. They
can stimulate or inhibit the activity
Of some organ or tissue in a part
of the body far distant from the
secretion itself"
WTHILE Professor Guyer is of
w the opinion that there have
been too many sensational state
ments made about the ductless
glands, he emphasizes their vast i'm
portance in the scheme of life.
Many physical and even mental
abnormalities in man are being
traced to deficiencies of the endo-
crime glands, or to upsets of their
normal interrelations at different
physiological periods in the indi-
Fidual," he says.
Height, the general form and ex-
ternal appearance of the body,
whether slender or broad, the
length of the arms and legs, the
shape of the face, the quality of the
voice, the distribution of hair or
of fat on the body, and even the
emotions are in greater or less
measure conditioned by the relative
functionings of these regulative sub
stances during early development
and later life.
Furthermore, the amount and
quality of the internal secretions
in various family strains are prob
ably as much the expression of he
reditary factors as are many other
individual characteristics; hence the
problem as it affects existing per-
sonality and health is not only one
of present physiology, but also one
of parentage."
Many experts look forward to the
day when sufficient knowledge of
the ductless glands will result in
vast improvement in the human
race.
Some even have gone so far as to
hope that the day may come when
it will be possible in many cases
to change criminals and anti-social
individuals into good members of
society by bringing about the proper
changes in the functioning Of their
ductless glands.
Such hopes, however, must wait
the gathering Of greater knowledge
than is available at present.