264 THE INTERNAL SECRETIONS 1920 



The thyroid has been proven to produce the chief 

 detoxicating hormone of the body, and in cases of cre- 

 tinism, myxedema and hypothyroidism resulting from 

 some systemic toxemia or due to infection, the admin- 

 istration of thyroid (as substitutive organotherapy) 

 has proven beyond doubt that this supply excites the 

 crippled thyroid to renewed activity, the associated 

 glands to a more normal condition, and the system as 

 a whole to a condition in which it is better able to 

 overcome the toxic influences which have been acting 

 upon it. 



In supplying a secretion which is deficient, as in 

 congenital cretinism, or a major hypothyroidism in- 

 duced by some destroying infection, one is impressed 

 by the modern miracle which is wrought. Two cases 

 of congenital cretinism treated by the author lost their 

 abnormal tendencies, their physical and physiological 

 development progressed to normality, and their mental 

 and moral propensities became very good. 



THE PLURIGLANDULAR IDEA 



It has been shown that the pluriglandular idea evi- 

 dently is correct; for when such cases go so far under 

 plain thyroid treatment and apparently reach a stand- 

 still, they then improve still further when the proper 

 synergists are utilized. This shows that pluriglandular 

 therapy is best and that there is an interdependency 

 of the different hormones and their actions on the 

 bodily functions and systems. In an experience of 

 about eight years as house physician in an orphan 

 asylum, I verified the value of such treatment on a 

 number of cases. 



Aside from the substitutive organotherapy already 

 mentioned, instances of which are now commonplace, we 

 have what is known as the homostimulative method. 

 Hallion's dictum seems to be true, viz. : "when a hor- 

 mone is given, it supplies a systemic deficiency by in- 

 creasing the productivity of the gland from which it 



