DERANGEMENTS OF THE THYMUS 201 



ovarian activity and involution of the thymus, there involution of 

 may be some connexion between retrogression in this 

 organ and premature and precocious puberty. It has been 

 believed that the thymus has a secretion which is con- 

 cerned in promoting calcium retention in the tissues, and 

 so in building up the growing skeleton : early involution 

 might, in such circumstances, be associated with stunting 

 in regard to the growth of the girl ; and this, in fact, is 

 commonly seen with precocious, or even early, puberty. 



It must, however, be remembered that it is doubtful 

 whether the thymus has an internal secretion, even 

 though changes in this organ are coincidental with 

 natural phases in growth and maturity. 



Excessive activity of the Thymus. Enlargement status 

 of the thymus is found in the condition known as ' status ymp atlGUSt 

 lymphaiicus ', in which the thymus does not undergo the 

 normal involution but remains large and active. Persons 

 with this disease are usually tall, and often are somewhat 

 undeveloped mentally. It has been supposed that in 

 these circumstances the gonads remain infantile, but this 

 view, although possibly true in some cases, is not uni- 

 versally so. I have had an opportunity of examining 

 the ovaries of a woman who had died suddenly as the 

 result of status lymphaticus. This patient had borne 

 children, and her genital organs were normal. This 

 disease, therefore, needs further pathological investiga- 

 tion before definite statements can be made concerning 

 the associated condition of the genitalia. 



When more evidence has been collected in regard to 

 the status lymphaticus we shall be in a position better to 

 understand the relationship between the thymus and 

 gonads. 



The Mammae and the Genital Functions 



But little remains to be said in regard to the mammae. 

 Their influence on the genital functions is purely indirect ; 



