294 THE DUCTLESS GLANDS 



diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, enteritis, affections of the heart 

 and arteries, tendency to catch "colds," affections of the 

 liver, of the urogenital tract and numerous other derangements. 



And the final test in all cases as to whether the thyroid gland 

 was really the origin of the trouble is the success of thyroid 

 medication. Since many of the symptoms described are 

 frequently of a temporary or even a trivial character, it is 

 easily to be imagined that they will frequently disappear 

 under thyroid treatment. 



Notwithstanding the hypothetical nature of much of this 

 work, yet it may be possible when a large number of critical 

 observations have been made to diagnose and treat minor 

 degrees of thyroid insufficiency. 



Slight degrees of hyperthyroidism are probably very common, 

 and may be regarded as almost physiological. 



Mongolism is often supposed to be due to thyroid deficiency. 

 The condition is characterized by interference with growth 

 associated with anomalies of the skeleton, falling in of the 

 bridge of the nose, a patent condition of the fontanelles, and 

 defective intellect. At first there is apathy and sleepiness and 

 later dementia. The symptoms are fully developed at birth. 

 It is doubtful whether the primary defect is in the thyroid, 

 though thyroid treatment is sometimes beneficial. The 

 patients are restless and idiotic. The complexion is fair, 

 the eyes are oriental with marked epicanthic folds. 



The condition has been supposed to be due to malnutrition 

 of the foetus in utero occurring when a child is born at the end 

 of a long family. Reproductive exhaustion of the mother 

 after prolonged rest from child-bearing has been suggested as 

 a cause. It is said that in these " mongols " the little finger 

 and thumb are always short. The disease was described by 

 Langdon Brown in 1866 as an ethnic degeneration occurring 

 in European children. The condition is fairly common in 

 asylums, where it is often attributed to maternal alcoholism. 



Progeria is a name given by Hastings Gilford to a condition 

 in which there is arrest of growth and premature senility. (See 

 p. 380.) 



Fcetal and Maternal Athyrosis. Ennis Smith describes 

 thyroid disturbance prevalent among new-born animals in 

 North America. It affects pigs, sheep, cattle, horses, goats, and 

 dogs. The condition is endemic and appears to correspond to 



