292 



INANITION AND MALNUTRITION 



The atrophied thymus was found reduced to fibrous cords, with small islets of 

 gland tissue. Similar data are reported by Stefko ('23a). Stephani ('23) 

 noted fat in the thymus cells of atrophic infants. 



Keilmann ('23) studied the thymus in 86 nurslings and 73 children of the 

 second year (no individual data). Unlike most previous investigators, he was 

 unable to find any regular relation between thymus weight and the character 

 of the disease causing death. He found both high and low thymus weights in 

 all conditions, and therefore doubts whether the thymus weight can be accepted 

 as an index of nutrition. He cites the observations of the Italians, Oliari and 

 Spolverini (cf. abstracts in Arch. f. Kinderh., 65:124-130) in support of this 

 conclusion. Keilmann's observations upon the histological changes in the 



~4l AA 46 46 50 51 54 56 56- 60 62. 64 6b 60 70 11 74. 76 

 Fig. 79. — Graph showing the individual weights of the thymus, according to body length, 

 in atrophic infants from various sources. The larger dots represent original Minnesota cases. 

 The normal curve is from data compiled by Prof. R. E. Scammon. The profound atrophy of 

 the thymus during malnutrition is evident, the weight being above normal in only 2 out of 

 about 300 cases. 



thymus are likewise in disagreement with those of previous investigators. He 

 noted the so-called "inversion" of cortex and medulla in 4 cases, but did not 

 find a disappearance of the lymphocytes accompanying the process of fibrosis. 

 He claims that Hassall's corpuscles are usually greatly increased. He admits 

 that low thymus weights are in part due to emaciation, but holds that they are 

 not always pathological, since the norm is usually put too high. 



My own observations upon the weight of the thymus in atrophic infants, in 

 opposition to the conclusions of Keilmann, show clearly the marked effect of 

 malnutrition upon the thymus weight, confirming the findings of most previous 

 observers. In the 15 cases shown in Table 3, the thymus weight ranged from 

 0.1-5.8 g. (the latter in a slightly rachitic infant of 6 months). The normal 

 for the newborn is about 13 g., increasing with age (see Fig. 79). 



