ADRENAL BODIES. 377 



varying between 1 and 10 years, he found an average of 0.28 p. m. iodine in the 

 glands. In 108 normal glands above 10 years old or adults the iodine content 

 varied with an average of 1.56 p. in. iodine. In glands from persons after using 

 iodine preparations (34 cases) the iodine content was 2.56 p. m. The amount 

 of silicic acid in normal thyroid glands was found by H. SCHULZ 1 to be on an 

 average 0.084 p. m., calculated on the dry substance. In goitres from GREIFSWALD 

 and ZURICH he found 0.175 and 0.434 p. m., respectively. There does not seem 

 to be any connection between the silicic acid content of the drinking water and 

 the occurrence of goitre. 



We cannot enter into a discussion as to the various hypotheses and 

 theories in regard to the mode of action of the constituents of the thyroids. 

 In the tetany appearing after parathyroidectomy many investigators 

 find an increased elimination of calcium, nitrogen and ammonia and the 

 hypothesis has been suggested that the tetany depends upon an increased 

 irritability of the nervous system due to lack of calcium. The fact as 

 found by several experimenters that a diminished calcium content of the 

 organs in question does not occur, speaks against this theory. On the 

 contrary, it seems to be generally admitted that lime salts reduce or 

 prevent the tetany and, according to FiiouiN, 2 this depends upon the lime 

 combining with the carbonic acid produced, which is the cause of the 

 tetany. The tetany is produced at least from a poison which is formed 

 only on the removal of the parathyroids or if it is regularly produced 

 it is made harmless by these organs. 



G. MANSFIELD and FR. MtJLLER 3 have made investigations in regard 

 to the action of the thyroids upon protein metabolism which indicate 

 that lack of oxygen acts as an excitant upon the thyroids and that the 

 increased protein catabolism, which occurs to a mean degree with lack 

 of oxygen, depends upon a hyperfunction of the thyroid glands brought 

 on by this condition. With greater lack of oxygen besides this a general 

 damage to the protoplasm of the body cells may occur. 4 



The Adrenal Bodies. Besides proteins, substances of the connect- 

 ive tissue, and salts, there occur in the suprarenal capsule inosite, purine 

 bases, especially xanthine (OKER-BLOM), phosphatides and glycerophos- 

 phoric add, which is probably a decomposition product of the latter. 

 The earlier . accounts of the occurrence of benzole acid, hippuric acid, 

 and bile-acids are, on the contrary, doubtful, and are not substantiated 

 by recent investigations (STADELMANN 5 ) . The medullary substance 



1 Jolin, Hammarsten's Festschr., 1906; H. Schulz, Bioch. Zeitschr., 46. 

 2 Compt. Rend., 148. 



3 Pfluger's Arch., 143. 



4 A very complete discussion of the physiology of the thyroid gland and the pertinent 

 literature may be found in Sw. Vincent, Ergebnisse"der Physiologic, 11, 218-302. 



5 Oker-Blom, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 28; Stadelmann, ibid., 18, which also 

 contains the literature on this subject. 



