174 THE THYROID, THE THYMUS, AND THE ADRENALS. 



In the large proportion of cases reported, however, there is no 

 marked untoward effect produced. It seems to be much less 

 active in this connection than the thyroid extractives. In fact, 

 in some cases probably those on the border-line of suprarenal 

 insufficiency it appears to act as a nutrient tonic, as noted by 

 Hector Mackenzie 51 after a study of twenty cases in which he 

 had tried thymus gland, and to which further reference is made 

 below. 



The connection between the thymus and the adrenals is 

 also illustrated by the experiments of Abelous and Billard, 52 

 in which removal of the former gave rise to symptoms similar 

 to those that follow adrenalectomy: even to discoloration of 

 the skin, great muscular weakness lapsing into paralysis, 

 blood-changes, cedema, etc. They also found that the secre- 

 tions of the experimental animals were markedly toxic: evi- 

 dence of inadequate oxidation. On the whole, this evidence, 

 considered collectively, seems to indicate that the tliymus gland 

 supplies some substance which directly or indirectly stimulates the 

 secretory functions of the adrenals, and thereby enhances the 

 activity of the oxidation processes. 



What is the nature of the agency through which the thy- 

 mus stimulates the adrenals, and what is the specific relation- 

 ship between these organs? These questions are suggested by 

 the fact that, while undue activity of the thymus increases that 

 of the adrenals, there seems to be no evidence that the thymus 

 can alone i.e., independently of the thyroid give rise to 

 either exophthalmic goiter or myxcedema. In all cases of the 

 former disease ascribed to the thymus found in available litera- 

 ture there is invariably thyroidal involvement. Yet the thy- 

 mus seems sufficiently active to bring the adrenals to their 

 normal activity when the general vital processes are depressed. 

 We have seen, on the other hand, that its removal gives rise to 

 symptoms recalling those of adrenalectomy. 



Baumann 53 found minute quantities of iodine in the thy- 

 mus also; but other experimenters have failed to find even 

 this trace, and have ascribed Baumann's findings to contamina- 



61 Hector Mackenzie: American Journal of the Medical Sciences, April, 1897. 

 n2 Abelous and Billard:. Archives de Physiologie, Oct., 1896. 

 63 Baumann: Miinchener med. Wochenschrift, p. 311, 1896. 



