98 THE PROTEOMORPHIC THEORY AND THE NEW MEDICINE 



the presence of unusual quantities of adrenalin in the medium 

 in which the lymphocyte is suspended. 



Again, the observed fact that persons suffering from hypo- 

 thyroidism are unduly susceptible to the attacks of bacterial dis- 

 eases, finds suggestive explanation in the theory that a normal 

 supply of thyroidin is essential to the normal functioning of the 

 cytogenic apparatus. Moreover, there is a certain amount of 

 direct evidence for the claim that the exhibition of thyroid 

 extract promotes cytogenesis. 



An increase of proteid metabolism has been observed in cases 

 of exophthalmic goiter; and the experiments of Anderson and 

 Bergman show a similar increase from the giving of large doses 

 of thyroid extract. If the role of the corpuscles in proteolysis 

 here presented be accepted as valid, these observations would 

 form another bit of presumptive evidence linking the thyroid 

 apparatus with the cytogenic mechanism. 



GENERAL THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF THE PROTEOMORPHIC 

 THEORY 



To the clinician it perhaps does not so greatly matter as to 

 what theoretical explanations are given of the relations of hor- 

 mones or other agent to the stimulation of the cytogenic sys- 

 tem. It suffices to know that there are certain available agencies 

 through which the production of corpuscles may be stimulated ; 

 and through which, therefore, according to the present theory, 

 the processes of normal protein metabolism and incidentally, but 

 most importantly, the immunization of the patient against bac- 

 terial diseases, and the cure of these diseases themselves, may 

 be facilitated. What these agencies are has been suggested in 

 the course of the preceding discussion. 



It remains now to make a few practical suggestions as to the 

 utilization of these agencies ; and, in general, as to the benefits 

 that may accrue to the patient through recognition, on the part 

 of the physician, of the principle that the blood corpuscles, white 

 and red, are the all-important agents in the fight against bac- 

 terial diseases. 



Let us take as a typical illustration because the most com- 

 mon and familiar the case of a patient suffering from tubercu- 

 losis. 



The tubercle germ invades practically every human organism. 

 But so well defended is the average system against its attacks 

 that ninety per cent, of all the individuals of a given genera- 

 tion are able to throw off the invader, and attain full individual 

 immunity to its attacks. Such immunity, conditioned on the 



