92 JOHN T. HALSEY 



cent, remarkable results in 34 per cent, and no distinct improvement in 6 

 per cent 9 He gives no details, but claims that there were often 

 permanent results (results definitifs). As recently as 1916 Kummer 

 (quoted by Sajous) has reported a successful autograft. 



In view of the superiority of the results obtained by thyroid feeding, 

 the reported results of implantation do not justify its performance. 



Hypothyroidism (Myxoedeme fruste) 



Unquestionably there are numerous individuals in whom the function 

 of the thyroid glands is permanently or temporarily more or less deficient 

 and in whom such deficiency is a cause of various disturbances of health 

 and function. The frequent occurrence and the clinical importance of the 

 recognition of these cases of slight hypothyroidism has been especially 

 emphasized, first by Hertoghe (a) (&) (c) and subsequently by many 

 others, notably by Leopold-Levi and Kothschild. There can be no question 

 that many of those who have maintained that hypothyroidism is the cause 

 of manifold and various disturbances of health and function and who have 

 reported remarkable results from thyroid therapy in a long list of diseases 

 and symptoms, have been carried away by their enthusiasm and have seen 

 in disturbed thyroid function the cause of, and have found in thyroid ther- 

 a])v a cure for, diseases and symptoms neither due to faulty function of the 

 thyroid nor curable by its administration. On the other hand, there 

 can be as little question that there is much that is true in many of the 

 claims made by adherents of these views. It is in the analysis and correct 

 evaluation of these claims, especially of those made for the therapeutic 

 efficiency of thyroid feeding, that the student of organotherapy finds one 

 of bis hardest tasks, and bis conclusions will vary, depending on whether 

 be is an optimist or a pessimist in bis attitude toward therapy. In general 

 it may be stated that where the causal relationship between faulty thyroid 

 function and disturbance of health has been definitely demonstrated, 

 thyroid administration has proven its value, that in some other conditions, 

 in which such proof is lacking, the results of thyroid therapy, which have 

 been reported, are such as should convince all but the most skeptical of 

 its real value, but that the evidence as to the value of thyroid administra- 

 tion in still others of these conditions is such that the claims made must 

 be rejected entirely or received with more or less decided skepticism. 



The salient points in these cases of moderate hypothyroidism are a sub- 

 normal temperature, a slow pulse, obesity, roughness and dryness of the 

 skin and hair, constipation, disturbance of menstruation and of other 

 genital functions, and also certain nervous and mental symptoms such as 

 sluggishness, stolidity, and somnolence with lack of energy and abnormal 

 fatiguability. There is also, as Leopold-Levi and Eothschild have em- 



