THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM 71 



periods. Their thyroid etiology is proved by the fact that 

 they are rapidly improved by thyroid medication and that 

 an intercurrent pregnancy or the menopause causes them 

 to disappear due to the overactivity of the thyroid during 

 these periods of sexual life. 



Finally, many conditions have been found to be due to 

 hypothyroidism, such as: urticaria, eczema, psoriasis, etc., 

 chronic rheumatism under a variety of aspects even the 

 progressive deforming type. 



These various manifestations due to thyroid insufficiency 

 are found to be related to this condition, not so much by 

 their clinical appearance as by the co-existence of various 

 stigma of hypothyroidism. We are entitled to suspect 

 hypothyroidism when after the examination of a patient 

 several symptoms of hypothyroidism have been detected 

 and to verify our diagnosis by a therapeutic test. 



We must not expect to find in one patient all the signs 

 of hypothyroidism. Some patients only show a yellow 

 skin and a slight infiltration of the tissues. Others are 

 simply stout without any other signs. Furthermore, 

 the physical stigma have a much more valuable diagnostic 

 significance than have functional manifestations; such as, 

 fatigue, headache, constipation. If we suspect such 

 common symptoms to be all due to hypothyroidism, 

 the majority of medical diseases would have to be treated 

 by the administration of thyroid. 



TREATMENT OF MYXEDEMA AND OF THYROID 

 INSUFFICIENCY. 



A. MYXEDEMA. 



We will only refer to thyroid gland grafts; the first 

 attempts made in France were by Lannelongue and did 

 not succeed. Kocher and Payr only obtained temporary 



