22 ENDOCRINE GLANDS 



out the multiple endocrine alterations and to use these 

 facts for the basis of rational medication. 



If what I have just said has been understood, the follow- 

 ing conclusions result: The functional disturbances re- 

 sulting from endocrine alterations are complex and only 

 rarely come down to the typical picture of insufficiency or 

 hyperf unction ; more often they can only be explained by an 

 aberration of the endocrine secretion, be it exaggerated or 

 deficient, having been modified in its usual characteristics 

 and having a different physiological action. What makes 

 these clinical findings more complicated is the fact that 

 this functional aberration is transmitted by the blood and 

 by the nerves on the function of other glands. In this way 

 the clinical syndromes observed appear as the expression 

 of polyglandular functional disturbances, while originally, 

 due to one gland. The aim of the clinician is to try and 

 determine what are the glandular disturbances in each 

 syndrome and what is their subordination, while an 

 appropriate organo therapy can very usefully modify 

 these symptoms. 



One last factor comes into play which modifies the 

 evolution of functional endocrine disturbances ; that is the 

 very frequent and very important disturbances of the 

 sympathetic in the syndromes under observation. It is 

 impossible to separate the study of the endocrine glands 

 and the study of the sympathetic. It has been known for 

 a long time the part played by it in cardio vascular mani- 

 festations, thermic changes, vaso motor, pilo motor 

 changes, etc ....... all manifestations which are indicative 



to a more or less extensive degree of diseases of the endo- 

 crines. It has been known for a long time, for instance, 

 the part played by the stimulation of the sympathetic in 

 Basedow's disease and inversely, the majority of the signs 



