The Levels of Circulating Eosinophils and Their Response to ACTH in Surgery

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Abstract
THE levels of circulating eosinophils are intimately related to the activity of the adrenal cortex. Alarming stimuli, when applied to animals, are followed by a marked fall in the level of circulating eosinophils.1 , 2 Regarding the mechanism of this eosinopenia, it is known that stress leads to the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) by the hypophysis; ACTH in turn stimulates the adrenal cortex, which releases its steroid hormones in large quantities; of these steroids, those with an oxygen atom on the 11 and 17 carbon positions (the so-called "11–17 oxysteroids") produce by a mechanism as yet unknown the fall in eosinophil . . .