THE THYROID GLAND 53 



fully watch the blood- pressure and the quantity 

 of water passed. If the pressure is up and the 

 quantity of water below average, we must get 

 to work at once and begin thyroid treatment, 

 which will soon be effective and ward off danger. 

 If, as so often happens, the trouble goes on to the 

 end unrecognized, so that the pressure is very 

 high and the secretion of urine almost stopped, 

 we can still do a great deal. The patient should 

 be put to bed, kept thoroughly warm, and the 

 diet should be only milk and farina. Under full 

 doses of thyroid (a 5-grain tablet of fresh gland 

 every three or four hours) the urine will in most 

 cases soon begin to flow more and more freely, 

 and the pressure will go down ; the urea will 

 increase and the albumin lessen. So we may guide 

 the patient to a safe termination. This treat- 

 ment was first introduced in 1901 by Dr. Oli- 

 phant Nicholson, of Edinburgh, and deserves 

 more notice than it has received. 



The following is a typical case: A woman, 

 aged 34, started oedema and albuminuria at the 

 eighth month. Urine passed in 24 hours was 6 oz., 

 which boiled solid. (Edema became general. Eight 

 grains of fresh thyroid were given three times a 

 day. Urine at once became plentiful and oedema 

 lessened. She went to her full time, taking 



