The General-Adaptation-Syndrome

With the concept of the general-adaptation-syndrome (G-A-S), we have attempted to integrate a number of seemingly quite unrelated observations into a single unified biologic system. The literature concerning this field has become so voluminous that it would be impossible to survey it within the frame of this brief synopsis. Since, on the other hand, it would be unadvisable and misleading to select a few references at random for discussion here, the reader is referred to the bibliography given in our recent monograph con­ cerning this subject (1) upon which the present review is based. Some of the more recent references by the author which may be accessible to many physi­ cians are listed at the end of the chapter. By way of an historic introduction, one might mention, among the many earlier observations pertaining to this field, the work of Claude Bernard, who showed how important it is to maintain the constancy of the milieu interieur, Cannon's concept of homeostasis, Frank Hartmann's general tissue hormone theory of the corticoids, Dustin's observations on the caryoclastic poisons, the post-operative disease, the curative action of fever, foreign proteins, and of other non-specific therapeutic agents, the nephrotoxic sera of Masugi and the Goldblatt clamp for the produc­ tion of experimental renal hypertension. At first sight, it would seem that all these observations have little in common and that there is no reason to attempt their integration into a uni­ fied system of physiologic and pathologic events. Yet, the above-mentioned monograph (l)-and indeed most of the author's research work-has been devoted to the construction of bridges between these and many additional facts since they were thought to be interconnected in nature. Through the compre�ension of their unity, we hoped to learn how to use them better for the understanding of life and the treatment of disease. The keynote of this unification was the tenet that all living organisms can respond to stress as such and that, in this respect, the basic reaction pattern is always the same irrespective of the agent used to produce stress. We called this response the General-Adaptation-Syndrome (G-A-S), and its derailments, the Diseases of Adaptation. Anything that causes stress endangers life unless it is met by adequate adaptive responses; conversely, anything that endangers life causes stress and adaptive responses. Adaptability and resistance to stress are fundamental prerequisites for life and every vital organ and function participates in them. In order to present a wen-proportioned outline of the G-A-S, it is necessary, therefore, to peruse every branch of physiology, biochemistry, pathologic