608 



CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY OF THE DUCTLESS GLANDS 



secretion is necessary for proper cell growth. This effect might be 

 either specific, or depend simply on the effect on protein metabolism. 

 Horsley^"* describes the appearance of the tissues of animals dying 

 after thyroidectomy as follows: "The subcutaneous connective tissue 

 is swollen, jelly-like, bright and shining, and excessively sticky. The 

 same thing is observed in the loose tissue of the mediastinum, about 

 the heart, and in the omentum. The submaxillary and parotid glands 

 are greatly enlarged, and have a semi-translucent, swollen appear- 

 ance; from the cut surface a sticky, glairy fluid exudes. Apparently 

 the parotid becomes transformed into a mucous gland; likewise the mu- 

 cous membrane of the alimentary tract is swollen and transparent." 

 Fetal tissues contain normally more mucin than those of adults (0.76 

 per cent, as against 0.37 per cent, in the subcutaneous tissues, accord- 

 ing to Halliburton), and in the early stages of the formation of ex- 

 cessive subcutaneous tissue in myxedema such an increase of mucin 

 may be present. But, under ordinary conditions, the term myxedema 

 seems to be entirely a misnomer, for Halliburton's analyses showed 

 that the skin of myxedematous patients contains quite the same 

 amount of mucin as is present in normal skin.'^^ When the condition is 

 of long standing, the amount of mucin may even be much reduced, be- 

 cause of the development of a fibroid character in the connective tissue. 

 However, in monkeys upon which thyroidectomy had been performed, 

 Halliburton^^ found a decided increase in the mucin in the tissues 

 throughout the body, especially in the salivary glands, but also in the 

 skin, subcutaneous tissues, and tendons; and mucin was found in the 

 blood, as shown by the following table: 



Skin 



and 



sub- 



aneous 



tissue 



Tendon 



Muscle 



Parotid 



Sub- 

 max- 

 illary 



Blood 



Normal monkey 



Normal monkey . . .^. . . 

 After thyroidectomy — 



55 days 



33 days 



49 days 



7 days 



0.89 

 0.9 



3.12 



2'3' 

 0.45 



0.39 

 0,5 



2.55 



2.4 ' 

 0.904 



trace 

 



0.72 



1^7' 

 trace 



0.1 



6.0 



3^3' 

 0.16 





 



0.35 



trace 

 0.8 



trace 



It has been suggested that the thyroid produces an enzyme which 

 destroys mucin, but that such is the case has never been demon- 



" Brit. Med. Jour., 1885 (i), 211. 



" Jour, of Pathol, and Bact., 1893 (1), 90. 



'* (Quoted l)y llorsley, loc. cit. Later e.\pcrimcnters, however, have had diffi- 

 culty in producing experimental my.xedema as described by Horsley, or have 

 failed entirely. 



