THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM 23 



of myxedema have their origin in alterations of the sym- 

 pathetic, causing a decrease in its activity. Briquet, for 

 instance believes that the chief function of the thyroid is 

 to furnish a necessary stimulant to the sympathetic and a 

 decrease in its function whether total, or partial, causes a 

 decrease in this stimulation, whence myxedema. It is to 

 this same sympathetic that is due the development of 

 bones, growth, puberty, and it is the decrease of its stimu- 

 lation, by a decrease in secretions from the thyroid, thy- 

 mus, and other glands, that infantilism, and other dis- 

 turbances of growth are due to (Briquet). The action of 

 the sympathetic has also been suggested in many other 

 conditions, notably in pigmentation of the skin (chiefly 

 pigmentation due to Addison's disease), in ichthyosis, in 

 sclerodermia which Brissaud has for a long time considered 

 as a disease of the sympathetic system, (be it due or not to 

 endocrine disturbances). In the clinical field, therefore, 

 these few examples are sufficient to show the influence of 

 the sympathetic in the symptoms due to endocrine dis- 

 turbances. The knowledge of relationship between the 

 two for a long time was rather vague and indefinite. Dur- 

 ing the last few years anatomists, physiologists and clini- 

 cians have attempted to better understand and analyze 

 disturbances of the sympathetic. They have shown how 

 hard it was to dissociate the endocrine from the sympathet- 

 ic system. An experimental example has been shown in 

 the recent researches of Professor Roger on the relationship 

 between the adrenal glands and the sympathetic, and 

 inversely, the action of the sympathetic on their function. 

 Histologically and embryologically a proof of this rela- 

 tionship has been shown by investigation of the paragang- 

 lia. Scattered throughout the abdominal sympathetic 

 they play a complex and important part. They have, 

 just as the adrenal medulla, chromaffin cells which secrete 



