Have the Adrenal Glands a Specific Detoxifying Function in Intestinal Obstruction?

Abstract

The adrenal glands perform a number of functions which appear necessary for normal mammalian life. Some animals, especially rats and rabbits, are, however, able to survive bilateral adrenalectomy for several weeks. Many interesting experiments have been performed to show that the adrenal glands secrete a substance or substances which act as a special defensive agent in the destruction of various types of toxins. The detoxifying substances are believed to be elaborated principally by cells of a reticulo-endothelial nature which are located in the cortex of the gland.

The cause of death in low intestinal obstruction is not well known. Cutting 1 has, in a recent article, presented experimental evidence which seems to show that a material elaborated in the adrenal cortex neutralized or destroyed a toxin or toxins responsible for the effects of intestinal obstruction. The adrenal glands were, therefore, considered to act as a specific mechanism against a toxemia present in all cases of advanced intestinal obstruction. These deductions stimulated us to perform a group of experiments for the observation of the effects produced by the intravenous injection of a toxic material into animals on whom various types of operations had been performed. All surgical procedures were done with sterile technic and ether anesthesia. Bilateral adrenalectomies, unilateral adrenalectomies, cholecystectomies, unilateral nephrectomies, splenectomies and appendectomies were done on a group of 32 rabbits. Ten of the animals survived the operative procedure and appeared well 3 weeks later.

Complete intestinal obstruction was produced in a group of 10 rabbits by placing a double tie of linen tape 10 cm. proximal to the ileo-cecal valve.