THE FUNCTION OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX

Abstract

When the adrenal glands are removed from laboratory animals, symptoms of deficiency develop, which may be summarized as follows: The first notable change is usually a loss of appetite, which is soon followed by nausea, vomiting, increased peristalsis and eventually bloody diarrhea. Associated with these changes are profound weakness of the muscles and a listless stupor, or, in some animals, restlessness and marked salivation, with clonic movements and general convulsions similar to those observed in hypoglycemia induced by insulin. There is a gradual decrease in body temperature and a decrease in the basal metabolic rate. Continuance of the state of adrenal deficiency is invariably associated with a decrease in blood pressure to the death level, an increase in the hematocrit reading and a progressive decrease in the volume of the circulating blood. Soon after removal of the adrenal glands there is a marked and continuous increase in the concentrations of