nil THYBOID \Nl> PARATHYROID QLAN1 761 



toms like those of tetany can be induced by deficiency of calcium in the 

 body and the Bymptoms of parathj roidectomy relieved by administration 

 of this cation, calcium deficiency is the cause of the Bymptoms. While 

 not denying thai these ions may have some relationship to the Bymptoms, 

 Noel Paton ascribes them to intoxication by guanidim pag The 



evidence is as follows: 1 Guanidine and methyl guanidine admin- 

 istered to normal animals produce Bymptoms thai are identical with tl 

 following parathyroidectomy. (2) There is a marked increase in the 

 amount of these substances in the Mood and urine of parathyroidec- 

 tomized do'_rs and in the urine of children suffering from idiopathic 

 tetany. (3) In certain eases the serum of parathyroidectomized d 

 acts upon the muscles of the frog similarly to weak solutions of guani- 

 dine and methyl guanidine. (4) There is a striking similarity in the 

 relative amounts of the nitrogenous metabolites in the urine of parathy- 

 roidectomized dogs and of normal animals injected with guanidine. 



It is concluded thai the parathyroids control the metabolism of guani- 

 dine "by preventing its development in undue amounts, in this way 

 they probably exercise a regulative action upon the tone of the skeletal 

 muscles." It is believed thai disease of the parathyroids is the cause 



idiopathic tetany, since it is similar with regard to its characters and 

 metabolism to the condition following thyroidectomy. 



The Relationship of the Parathyroid with Other Endocrine 



Organs 



We know very little of the relationship of the parathyroid with other 

 endocrine organs. Vincent and others have stated that after removal 



of the thyroid itself enlargemenl of the parathyroid may ur with the 



formation of colloid material between the rows of cells, hut the con- 

 clusion that this represents a vicarious function between the thyroid and 

 parathyroid glands is not generally accepted. The supposed relation- 

 ships among the parathyroid ami the pituitary and adrenal glands are 

 also based upon uncertain evidenci 



