The hypophysis cerebri of the woodchuck (Marmota monax) with special reference to hibernation and inanition [L'hypophyse de la marmotte (Marmota monax) avec une référence spéciale à l'hibernation et l'iaanition].

Résumé

In the thirty-four years which have elapsed since Marie created clinical interest in the hypophysis cerebri by associating disease of this organ with acromegaly, and especially during the last twenty-five years, or since Oliver and Schäfer (1895) announced that extracts of this ductless gland have a distinct power to increase general blood pressure, a vast amount of anatomical, physiological and clinical information has accumulated. Naturally this has been accompanied by various theories regarding the physiological role of this structure. One of these theories is that ordinary physiological sleep and the longer periods of dormancy seen in hibernating mammals are associated with activities of the hypophysis. An examination of the principal observations upon which this idea rests may serve to place the subject in its proper setting. In reviewing the literature on the theories of hibernation the writer ('16) called attention to the large number of authors who considered hibernation among the higher forms, at least, as merely an extreme form of ordinary daily sleep as seen in man and mammals.