THE FRONTIERS OF MEDICIKE 



the presence of any dangerous reactions . He will examine the 

 excretions for the presence of sugar or albumin; he will 

 study regularly the ability of the heart to carry on its 

 work and in this way make the process safe. 



It is now generally known that the taking of thyroid 

 extract speeds up the chemical interchange that goes on 

 in the body. However, the taking of thyroid extract is 

 not without danger. Some of the patented products sold 

 in drug stores for the reduction of weight contain liberal 

 quantities of thyroid extracts, and serious results have 

 been reported from the taking of such preparations. Never 

 should thyroid extract be taken without careful super- 

 vision by some one trained in observing the changes that 

 go on in the human body. 



As can be seen from these considerations, the problems 

 connected with weight are not yet fully understood. 

 Because of the nation-wide attempt at reduction which 

 has been made recently, more attention has been given 

 to such problems during the past five years than at any 

 previous period. Thus much information has been acquired, 

 and a beginning has been made in establishing the ideal 

 weight for health and in developing methods for securing 

 and maintaining that weight. Perhaps the problem will 

 never be solved until human beings have learned the import- 

 ance of heredity and eugenics in the building of sound tissues. 

 It has been possible in the breeding of animals to develop 

 horses of both the racing and draft-horse type. With the 

 same amount of consideration, similar results could be 

 accomplished for the human. 



'Rheumatism and Arthritis. One of the unsolved problems 

 of medicine to-day is the cause, the prevention, and the 

 specific method of treatment of the rheumatic diseases. 

 The term "rheumatism" covers a wide variety of disorders, 

 varying from the rheumatic fever of childhood — which 

 attacks the heart and which usually proceeds to permanent 



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