ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE GONADS AS CONTROLLERS OF SOMATIC AND PSYCHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

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Abstract
Utilizing the ''spermatozoon-motility'' test in the guinea-pig to detect the internal secretion (hormone) of the testicle, 3 problems in hormone production have been investigated: a. Hormone production by a normal testis was studied by observing the effect of a normal testis present for periods of 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 days on the motility of spermatozoa in an isolated epididy-mis. It was found that hormone produced by a testicle during a 10-day period could be detected by the test employed. It was likewise apparent that cumulative effects of hormone production could not be detected; the absence of hormone, brought on by testis removal, is registered almost at once. Testis hormone appears not to be stored within the mammalian organism, b. The hormone produced by a degenerate, non-gameto-genetic, experimental cryptorchid testis of 7 mos. (by weight 2.8 % of the normal testicular mass) was as great as that produced by 2 normal testes at the height of their germ-cell production (in so far as the test employed can register quantitative effects), c. Hormone production by non-viable testis transplants was scarcely detectable. The effect of such masses of auto-lyzing testis tissue on the sperm motility reaction was so slight as to be questionable; at best the effect was no greater than the liberation of hormone from an intact testis within a 10-day period. These results discredit assertions as to conspicuous effects of non-living testis transplants made by others.