Experimental pituitary basophilism

Abstract

An extract of hypophyses of sheep containing active gonadotropic hormone was administered subcut. for 90 days to a pedigreed fox-terrier [female] 8 weeks old, whose littermate sister was used as a control throughout the experiment. From her sister, who during the 93 days of observation grew into a lanky, active animal, the injected puppy differed in the following ways: She had become exceedingly adipose, slow in movement, and petulant in disposition, yet appeared in good health. There was retardation of skeletal growth, delay in normal dentition, and extremely slow growth of hair. Serum Ca values were invariably higher than in the control, yet decalcification of bones could not be demonstrated. There was no hyperplasia of parathyroid glandules. Compared with the control, she had a markedly subnormal basal metabolic rate and the thyroid proved to be colloidal in type with extremely flat epithelium. The carbohydrate tolerance was diminished though there was no spontaneous glycosuria. The liver was heavily loaded with glycogen to a degree seen only in von Gierke''s disease. No nephro-vascular effects were evident; the blood pressure was subnormal. A striking pallor of the tissues and a secondary type of anemia were present. Normal sexual development was much retarded in the injected puppy.[long dash]A number of these changes strongly suggest experimental reproduction of certain features of the clinical syndrome of pituitary basophilism.