CHAPTER IV 



THE DISEASES OF THE PARATHYROID GLANDS 

 (Glandulae Parathyreoidae) 



[Parathyroid Glandules, Epithelial Bodies, Epithelkorperchen] 



Anatomy. The parathyroid glands are paired organs showing intimate 

 spatial relationship with the thyroid gland. In man there are usually 

 two parathyroid glands on each side. They have a length diameter of 

 3-15 mm. and a thickness or width of about 2 mm. According to Erd- 

 heim, the upper parathyroid glands (epithelial bodies) lie against the posterior 



Gl. pth. 



Gl. pth. 



FIG. 23. Parathyroid bodies of man (according to Zuckerkandl) . Posterior view of organs of 

 neck. Gl. pth. = parathyroid glands. 



surfaces of the lateral lobes of the thyroid gland about the middle of the 

 height of the lobes, and the lower parathyroids lie toward the lower pole 

 of these lobes ; but not rarely there are exceptions with regard to both number 

 and position of the parathyroids. On one side there may be as many as 

 three or four of these bodies (Schrieber et al.) ; the lower bodies may lie- as 



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