INFANTILISM 881 



French authors especially advocated polyopotherapeutic preparations 

 by mouth as well as hypodermatically. Dupuy was the first to apply them 

 systematically, giving simultaneously extracts of thyroid, hypophysis,, su- 

 prarenals and, in the case of failure, additionally also substance of testes or 

 ovaries. He claimed favorable results. Similarly Marcuse in various 

 kinds of infantilistic states recommends hormin, a preparation consisting 

 of the extracts of testicles, seminal vesicles, prostate or of corpus luteum 

 and mamma in combination with liver, hypophysis, pancreas and thyroid. 

 The stimulating effect of the hypophysis upon the development of the 

 genitals and its successful use in amenorrhea induced Bahrmann, and 

 especially Jendrassik, to administer it in hypogenitalism and infantilism, 

 associated with it. Both authors report good results. 



Apropos the experiences with transplantations of glandular tissues 

 and the therapeutic progress made recently in this direction we must refer 

 to the respective chapters on endocrine disturbances as discussed by other 

 authors. 



The improvement of the general conditions through organ-preparations 

 is not necessarily due only to a strictly specific action of the substitution 

 therapy ; also a non-specific effect, as is known of the protein bodies, plays 

 hereby a certain role, namely activation of the protoplasma and a func- 

 tional stimulation of the entire organism, thus powerfully modifying 

 the nutrition. 



In the pancreatic and intestinal types in the first place a proper indi- 

 vidualizing dietary management must be directed against the digestive 

 disturbances in accordance with principles detailed in modern text books 

 on children's diseases. In younger children Finkelsteiii's protein milk 

 may prove beneficial. Preparations of pancreatic enzymes, pepsin, secre- 

 tin, Takadiastase or hydrochloric acid may find their indications as adju- 

 vants. Holt and Courtney noticed good results from the administration 

 of cod liver oil in connection with proper dietary measures. The thera- 

 peutic results from peroral and subcutaneous administration of isolated 

 vitamines a,s studied recently by various observers in infantile atrophy, 

 hypotrophy and other growth disturbances suggest a trial in selected cases 

 of our field, though no experiences are here extant yet. 



Occasionally instances of successful treatment with thymus have been 

 recorded (Wilcox, Kerley, cited by Borchardt). 



In dystrophies of luetic origin the antiluetic treatment must be supple- 

 mented by organotherapy, the latter being of primary importance as re>- 

 cently emphasized by Hutinel. 



However, we must not nurture too optimistic, unwarranted expecta- 

 tions ; for in the great majority of cases of infantilism, especially in the 

 unmixed dystrophic types unfortunately hardly any noticeable benefit 

 seems to be derived from any of the known remedies. 



