ACUTE ADRENAL CORTICAL INSUFFICIENCY

There is considerable evidence that cortisone from either exogenous or endogenous sources can cause a suppression of the function of the adrenal cortex. In 1935 Kepler noted that patients with a hyperfunctioning adrenal cortical tumor would have atrophy of the contralateral adrenal cortex and that these patients on occasion would die in a state of shock and collapse.1Ingle produced atrophy of the adrenal cortex in rats by administration of large amounts of cortin.2It has been demonstrated in humans that histopathological alterations occur in the adrenal cortex after the administration of cortisone. These changes include reduction in the total weight of the gland, narrowing and pallor of the cortex, and loss of lipid.3The depression of adrenal cortical function by cortisone has been further demonstrated by observing that cortisone-treated patients fail to respond in the usual manner to test doses of corticotropin. It has been shown