Litefafy Notices. cxxxvii 



the simple, the next step was reached when Dr. Mackenzie adopted 

 the plan of feeding patients suffering with myxoedema with the thyriod 

 itself. In order to be made more easy of administration Dr. Arthur 

 Davies employed a powdered extract of the active principle with 

 glycerin which was dried by heat and administered by way of the 

 mouth. 



Thus far the cures have not been permanent, though a relatively 

 small dose may be necessary to continue the improvement. The 

 disease is more common in females but both sexes are benefited, nor 

 is there an age limitation. Chronic cases seem quite as amenable as 

 others. 



The treatment is invariably followed by marked improvement in 

 bodily condition, the general puffy swelling subsides, the coarse dry 

 skin becomes smooth and moist, the thick, blunted features become 

 natural, hair begins to grow on scalp and eyebrows, the special senses 

 improve. Body and mind become more active, the temperature 

 rises. Thq majority of cases of myxoedema are accornpanied by grave 

 mental disturbance, often acute melancholia. It seems certain that 

 the treatment serves to improve mental as well as bodily conditions 

 and if employed early enough should forestall the insanity of myxoed- 

 ema. Even in the congenital cases (Cretinism) much improvement 

 has been noted. The numerous cases enumerated and the table re- 

 ferred to make the article a very useful one. 



An Instriiiiient for Reaction-Time Determination.^ 



On a square standard of pine supported by a tripod with leveling 

 screws is screwed a rectangular piece of hard wood 3 feet above 

 the floor at a convenient height to permit the registration of falling 

 rods, which serve to indicate the time. The hand of the subject rests 

 on a table while powerful electro-magnets in the circuit opened by the 

 finger serves to clamp in position the falling rods. At the summit of 

 the vertical standard is a device for releasing the rods, which in the 

 improved instrument are four in number and made of box-wood grad- 

 uated into hundreds of a second. The complete fall of a rod occu- 

 pies 3-10 of a second. After falling a short distance a brass plate 

 which rides astride the top of the rod encounters a diaphragm so pro- 

 ducing a sound signal, an electric bell being rung by a current broken 

 at the same time. A visual signal is given by a slit and diaphragm 



1 Lewis, Bevan. An Improved Reaction-time instrument. Journ. Mental 

 Science. Oct., 1893. XXXIX, 167. [N. S. ^0. 131.] 



