THE THYROID GLAND 247 



individual becomes bloated, apathetic, and feeble 

 in intellect. If, instead of failing, the activity of 

 the thyroid becomes exaggerated at any time, 

 another pathological condition supervenes ; that of 

 Exophthalmic Goitre or Graves' disease. In this 

 is found over excitability of the nervous system, 

 a tumultuous pulse, irritability, and, in general, 

 over stimulation of tissue activity. The thyroid 

 gland weighs but an ounce or so, but its functions 

 are of extreme importance to the body. Certainly 

 not less important are those of the suprarenal 

 glands ; small organs, one perched on each kidney, 

 and weighing together no more than one fourth 

 of an ounce. To describe in detail all the influence 

 they exert upon the body would require the whole 

 space allotted to this article. The best impression 

 of the remarkable functions exerted by their 

 internal secretion may be given by pointing out 

 that many of the physiological events which 

 accompany a strong emotion such as that of anger, 

 and therefore many of the feelings associated with 

 the emotion, arise from the circumstance that the 

 primary psychological element of the emotion leads 

 to nerve impulses which cause an increased secretion 

 from these glands. Looking at the facts from a 

 somewhat different angle we may say that upon 

 the secretion of these small organs depend the 

 physiological adjustments which make for safety 

 upon emergency. The sight of an enemy or any 

 realisation of danger increases the flow of the 



