2QO PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



in adults, is by some stated to be due to the drinking water supply, but 

 this has not yet been satisfactorily demonstrated as a fact. 



The thyroid hormone is an organic iodine compound (colloidal iodine) 

 called iodo-thyrin or thyroiodine) , said to contain from 0.33 to i .00 per 

 cent iodine. This is a very stable compound and has been used with 

 some success in hypothyroidism. It would naturally be contraindicated 

 in hyperthyrodism. 



6. The Parathyroid Glands. These are supposed to be accessory thy- 

 roid bodies and lie near the latter in the neck to the front and sides of the 

 tracheae. The parathyroids as well as the thyroids are essential to life, 

 as total extirpation is followed by death. By some investigators the 

 parathyroids are looked upon as immature thyroid tissue and there is 

 no doubt as to the close functional relationship of the two glands. Extir- 

 pation of the parathyroids is followed by the symptoms designated by the 

 term letany, namely restlessness, excitability, muscular tremors, which 

 before death, develop into convulsions, rigor and complete exhaustion. 

 According to Macallum the symptoms above cited may be relieved at 

 once by the intravenous injection of a soluble calcium salt. In fact the 

 prompt effects are most striking and has suggested the use of calcium salts 

 in dys-function and hypo-function of the parathyroids. 



In hvpothyroidism of adults there is disturbed nerve function, mostly 

 sympathetic, worry, loss of mental balance, excitability, etc. 



7. The Suprarenal or Adrenal Glands. As the name implies, these 

 glands, two in number, are associated with the kidneys, one each lying 

 just above the kidney. They are flattened, more or less triangular and 

 weigh about four grams each. An enormous amount of work has been 

 done in regard to these glands and our information concerning their func- 

 tional activities is fairly complete. Brown-Sequard demonstrated that 

 removal of these glands resulted in death almost immediately (within a 

 few hours to possibly two or three days). The symptoms preceding 

 death are great prostration, muscular weakness and diminished vascular 

 tone. The symptoms resemble those of Addison's disease which is now 

 known to be due to pathological lesions of these glands. One of the active 

 principles of the adrenals is the animal alkaloid epinephrine, now a much 

 used medicine and fully described in all texts on materia medica. Epine- 

 phrine does not however represent the full physiological action of the 

 gland. 



In hypo-function of the adrenals there is a feeling of lassitude (Spring 

 fever), liver spots appear and there may be slight general pigmentation. 

 In decided dys-function of the adrenals the symptoms deepen, there is 

 great loss of activity, the skin* becomes decidedly darkened and bronzed, 

 which discoloration is extended to the mucous membranes, there is loss 



