The Thyroid Gland and Its Diseases 



Physiology, Physiological Chemistry and 

 Experimental Pathology 



The Physiology and the Experimental Pathology of 

 the Thyroid Gland 



SWALE VINCENT 



LONDON 



Introduction 



The following account of the physiology and the experimental path- 

 ology of Ae thyroid gland has heen difficult of compilation. The literature 

 of the subject is enormous and it is far from easy in many cases to assess 

 the value of the contributions and to estimate the bearing of one observa- 

 tion upon another. Some problems have been presented in some detail, and 

 tentative conclusions suggested. Others, such as the relation of the thyroid 

 to the other endocrin glands, and especially to the adrenal, have been scarce- 

 ly touched because it would seem preferable to .treat these questions rather 

 from the standpoint of the other organs concerned than from that of the 

 thyroid. 



It is hoped that most of the important literature has been referred to, 

 but I trust that I shall be pardoned for omission of any work of interest 

 which has ' escaped my observation or the value of "which has been 

 underestimated. 



The Physiology and the Experimental Pathology of the 



Thyroid Gland 



The Earlier Theories as to the Function of the Thyroid Gland. In 



Todd's Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology, published in the years 

 1849-1852, may be found a learned and interesting article by Handfield- 

 Jones dealing with the history of the subject and the state of knowledge 



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