56 THE GLANDS REGULATING PERSONALITY 



it when eaten or introduced into the skin or blood of various 

 people. A cretin, idiotic, dwarfish, deformed, hopeless, an inces- 

 santly prodding burden of sorrow to the mother, who looks upon 

 the masterpiece she had labored to bring forth, and beholds a 

 terrible gargoyle, becomes transformed when fed thyroid. 



In a few days the cretin will get warmer, and require much 

 less wrapping and bed-clothing. With the improvement in cir- 

 culation, the color becomes better and the extremities lose their 

 coldness. In a week or so, irritability and resentment at disturb- 

 ance appear. He will begin to recognize and know his parents, 

 smile and play. There is a gradual return to the normal of the 

 facial appearance, and a resumption of growth. All kinds of 

 marvelous growth effects occur. Twenty teeth may be cut in 

 six months. Coarse, rough dry, shaggy hair becomes fine, silken, 

 long and curly. The skin becomes soft, moist and roseate. 

 Inches in height may be added every month. Bright, active, even 

 talkative, are the descriptive terms an observer would apply 

 after a few months. A complete remaking of body and soul is 

 apparently affected. 



Yet, should the administration of the thyroid cease, an almost 

 immediate reversion to the original vegetative condition is in- 

 evitable. After a few days, reactiveness slows down, the child 

 will speak only when spoken to, will sit quietly in a chair all day 

 and act semi-anesthetized. Gradually hair and skin return tc 

 the previous cold-blooded animal state, and the whole pic 

 of the cretin is in full bloom. Supplying the internal secre 

 of the gland promptly repeats the transformation. 



One wonders what is to be the ultimate fate of these refor 

 cretins. Since the tale of the opening of life to them, once 

 sidered hopeless idiots, is scarce a generation old, we hav< 

 data, as yet, as to the character of their children or gr 

 children, their adventures and vicissitudes, in short, their 

 history. Those of whom we have any record are normal 

 healthy school children or workers, alive to the interests of cl 

 hood or their occupation and social circles. No one outside 1 

 family knows that they are cretins, and the most acute obse 

 would be hard put to it to suspect. What a theme for the re 

 tions upon appearances the eminent Victorians loved! 



There are possibilities the imagination may envisage, 

 may suppose such a cretin, with all his other ductless gl 

 intact, grown successfully to manhood under careful me< 

 guidance. No one but himself is aware of his affliction, ou' 



