264 THE INTERNAL SECRETIONS—1920 
The thyroid has been proven to produce the chief 
detoxicating hormone of the body, and in cases of cre- 
tinism, myxedema and hypothyroidism resulting from 
some systemic toxemia or due to infection, the admin- 
istration of thyroid (as substitutive organotherapy) 
has proven beyond doubt that this supply excites the 
crippled thyroid to renewed activity, the associated 
glands to a more normal condition, and the system as 
a whole to a condition in which it is better able to 
overcome the toxic influences which have been acting 
upon it. 
In supplying a secretion which is deficient, as in 
congenital cretinism, or a major hypothyroidism in- 
duced by some destroying infection, one is impressed 
by the modern miracle which is wrought. Two cases 
of congenital cretinism treated by the author lost their 
abnormal tendencies, their physical and physiological 
development progressed to normality, and their mental 
and moral propensities became very good. 
THE PLURIGLANDULAR IDEA 
It has been shown that the pluriglandular idea evi- 
dently is correct; for when such cases go so far under 
plain thyroid treatment and apparently reach a stand- 
still, they then improve still further when the proper 
synergists are utilized. This shows that pluriglandular 
therapy is best and that there is an interdependency 
of the different hormones and their actions on the 
bodily functions and systems. In an experience of 
about eight years as house physician in an orphan 
asylum, I verified the value of such treatment on a 
number of cases. 
Aside from the substitutive organotherapy already 
mentioned, instances of which are now commonplace, we 
have what is known as the homostimulative method. 
Hallion’s dictum seems to be true, viz.: “when a hor- 
mone is given, it supplies a systemic deficiency by in- 
creasing the productivity of the gland from which it 
