THE CONQUEST OF DISEASE 



been awarded the Nobel prize for service to 

 humanity, reported that some patients from 

 whom he had removed goiters developed symp- 

 toms similar to those described by S chirr" as 

 occurring in dogs whose thyroids had been 

 removed. These conditions were found to be 

 similar to certain peculiar diseases the nature 

 of which had never been understood. About 

 the same time similar observations were made 

 in England and a commission was appointed to 

 study this class of diseases which seemed to 

 have a relation to destructive changes in the 

 thyroid gland. From that time on the experi- 

 mental studies made upon the thyroid gland 

 have been among the most fruitful efforts of 

 physiologic research. 



Another organ, the physiology of which is 

 of much importance, is the suprarenal capsule, 

 an apparently insignificant little structure 

 lying just above each kidney. They supply 

 to the blood certain substances which have to 

 do with regulating the contractile tone of the 

 blood vessels, having a direct action upon the 

 nervous centres at the base of the brain. Their 

 removal, or injuiy in animals, produces certain 

 symptoms, which are now recognized as the 

 symptoms of peculiar diseases which are found 



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