endocrinology

Term: endocrinology

Origin: ενδο-/endo(=within)
+ εκκρίνω/ekrino(=secrete)
+ λόγος /logos(=speech, study of)

Coined: in 1904 by Maurice-Adolphe Limon as a consequence of some prodromic observations and experiments:

* In the 1690s, Fredrik Ruysch (1638-1731) stated that the thyroid secreted important substances into the blood stream.

* Theophile Bordeu (1722-1776) wrote that "emanations" were given off by some body parts penetrating into the blood.

*In 1849 A. A. Berthold (1803-1861) castrated four of out cocks. Two of the castrated chickens were left to become chicken eunuchs but the other two castrated chickens had transplanted testes in a different site than the original. The two castrated chickens never matured into roosters with adult combs but the chickens who received transplanted testes did mature into normal adult roosters. This experiment demonstrated the influence of testis on the blood.

* In  1849  a British surgeon  Thomas Addison (1793-1860), reported adrenal insufficiency in 1849, though endocrine functions had yet to be explained.  

* In 1901 Takamine and independently, Aldrich isolated the incretion of the adrenal medulla and determined its chemical formula as adrenalin.

Definition:

The study of hormones and the cells of the endocrine glands.