42 ENDOCRINE GLANDS 



vention attempt to act directly on the diseased gland. It 

 can finally attempt to supplement or stimulate deficient 

 functions, and more rarely inhibit them. 



I. ETIOLOGICAL TREATMENT. 



However logical this method may appear, it is only 

 rarely indicated. Naturally, when lues is the etiological 

 factor, antisyphilitic treatment should be attempted ; 

 while recommended in thyroid and pituitary affections it 

 has, however, only a limited effect, limited by reason of the 

 lesions which must be remedied. When destructible, it 

 cannot, even when healed, bring back the regeneration 

 of the organ; gumma of the thyroid, of the pituitary leave 

 sclerous lesions, which are incompatible with a normal 

 function of the gland. The treatment, moreover, cannot 

 change certain lesions in the neighborhood, such as, alter- 

 ation of the chiasma of the optic nerves which is so often 

 noticed following affections of the pituitary. In spite 

 of its limited effect, antiluetic treatment should always 

 be attempted whenever a syphilitic origin is suspected, 

 associated with organo therapy it seems to definitely help 

 in improving the condition in many cases; its action has 

 been noticed in certain cases of myxedema due to a 

 thyroiditis of specific origin. It seems to act in the same 

 way in certain syndromes of pituitary origin, if not on 

 the pituitary lesion at least on the meningitis, which is 

 often associated with it. In other cases anti-rheu latic 

 treatment will be beneficial. Sodium salicylate has been 

 specially recommended in exophthalmic goitre. It cer- 

 tainly is a great help in many cases. Since Chibret and 

 later Babinski have advised its use; it has been admin- 

 istered in much larger doses and not simply as an anti- 

 rheumatic agent. In the same manner quinine plays a 

 part in endocrine therapy and we cannot say that its use 



