THYROID INSUFFICIENCY 67 



some good effect in lessening atheroma of the large 

 arteries. Rendle Short says : "An increased 

 thyroid secretion may be obtained by giving 

 iodides. Here we find the explanation, so long 

 sought in vain, of their effects on gummata, 

 arterio-sclerosis, and aneurism. The beneficial 

 agent is really the increased internal secretion of 

 the thyroid. Two important results of observa- 

 tion and experiment confirm this theory. Firstly, 

 in cases of myxcedema, arterio-sclerosis is early 

 and intense. The same is true in animals after 

 removal of the thyroid. Eiselberg gives a num- 

 ber of very convincing photographs of intense 

 atheroma of the aorta in his cretin lambs, from 

 which the thyroid has been removed. Secondly, 

 thyroxin has a wonderful power over young 

 connective tissue, as is seen by the way in which 

 it absorbs the subcutaneous thickening of myxoe- 

 dema. It is not surprising, therefore, that it 

 should be able to also deal with gummata and 

 atheroma." 



Thyroid feeding, where sclerosis has not gone 

 far, soon shows its merits, but a fair dose must be 

 given. As a rule I give half a grain of the dried 

 powder three times a day at the commencement. 

 The pressure falls almost daily, and as it falls the 

 discomforts, especially the head symptoms, lessen. 



