THE THYMUS GLAND AND THE ADRENALS. 185 



influence during the process of physical development, are fully 

 ns important as those in which the thyroid plays an active 

 part. Indeed, while the thyroid gland physiologically stimu- 

 lates the adrenals through its iodine constituent and perhaps 

 supplies the cutaneous tissues with their main inorganic body, 

 i.e., arsenic, the thymus incidentally stimulates the supra- 

 renal glands, and supplies the bones, the brain, the cord, the 

 nerves, and other structures with their main inorganic con- 

 stituent, phosphorus. The conclusion seems warranted, there- 

 fore, that: 



Impairment of the functions of the thymus and of the ad- 

 renals underlies the disorders of nutrition which inhibit the devel- 

 opment of the cerebro-spinal, nervous, and osseous systems, during 

 infancy, childhood, and early adolescence. 



