PKACTICE OF MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 



secured from sheep, and compressed tablets of 

 dried and powdered thyroid are now a common 

 article of commerce. Marvellous changes in 

 these people have been wrought by this treat- 

 ment. Many patients who had formerly been 

 committed to insane asylums are now enjoying 

 health. 



Cretinism, or dwarfism, is myxedema de- Cretinism, 

 veloping in infants born without the normal 

 amount of thyroid. It is prevalent in Switzer- 

 land. They have the characteristics of imbe- 

 ciles. It is a striking sight to see one of these 

 children, with its drooping eyelids, half open, 

 drooling mouth, and stupid air, converted in 

 a few days into a bright-eyed healthy young- 

 ster. As a result of these studies it is now 

 known that the thyroid is essential to life; 

 that myxedema and cretinism are due to path- 

 ologic destruction or congenital inadequacy 

 of this gland ; that a small bit of thyroid left in 

 the neck serves the physiologic requirements 

 of the body; and that when all of the gland is 

 removed or destroyed health can be maintained 

 by feeding with a very small amount of sheep's 

 thyroid. 



As myxedema and cretinism are diseases Acromegaly 

 of lack of supply of thyroid secretions, 



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