e symptoms due to excessive
intra-cranial tension, such as blindness, severe headache, and
persistent vomiting, by performing a "decompression operation"
(_Operative Surgery_, p. 108). The relief that follows such operations
is often remarkable.

Lumbar puncture, frequently repeated, has also been practised for the
relief of tension in inoperable cases, but it is not free of danger
and is not to be looked upon as a substitute for a decompression
operation.

When surgical treatment is contra-indicated, all that can be done is
to palliate the symptoms by bromides, opium, phenacetin, caffein, and
other drugs.

#Tumours of the Pituitary Body# or #Hypophysis Cerebri#.--The tumours
most frequently met with in the pituitary body are of the nature of
adenoma with hyperplasia and cystic degeneration; carcinoma and
sarcoma also occur. They develop slowly and give rise to comparatively
slight increase in the intra-cranial tension. When the anterior lobe
is implicated and there is a pathological increase in the functional
activity of the gland (_hyperpituitarism_), signs of acromegaly may
ensue. Diminution of function (_hypopituitarism_) is attended with
infantilism, a rapid deposition of fat in the subcutaneous tissue, and
a decrease or loss of the genital functions. In women, amenorrhoea is
an early and constant symptom. Intense drowsiness is a marked feature
in some cases.

From their position close to the back of the optic chiasma these
growths affect the fibres passing to the nasal half of each retina,
and so give rise to bilateral temporal hemianopsia, and although there
is no choked disc, the optic nerves undergo primary atrophy from
pressure, and there is failure of sight.

Marked temporary benefit has followed the administration of thyreoid
extract. Operative treatment has been successful in a number of cases,
but as the anterior lobe is essential to life, the operation is merely
directed towards the relief of pressure on the optic chiasma with a
view to preventing loss of vision. We have seen marked relief follow a
temporal decompression operation.

#Epilepsy.#--The surgical aspects of Jacksonian epilepsy following
head injuries have already been considered (p. 358). For the cure of
those forms of epilepsy in which there is no gross lesion of the
brain, numerous surgical procedures have been suggested, but from none
of these have the results been encouraging.

#Hernia Cerebri.#--This term is applied to a protrus