Joseph H. Raymond
Published: 2017-01-08
Total Pages: 928
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Excerpt from Brooklyn Medical Journal, Vol. 11: January-December, 1897 The studies of 0rd, Horsley, Semon, and others, have done much to advance our knowledge of the disease. The resemblance between myxedema in man, and the condition produced in ani mals by the removal of their thyroids was the incentive to Profes sor Horsley's experiments, which were almost demonstrative of the relationship between cachexia strumipriva and myxedema. Schiff and others showed that the effects of removal of the thyroid gland in animals could be modified by transplanting the thyroid glands. These observations induced Horsley to suggest trans planting thyroid glands in the bodies of man suffering from myx edema. Amelioration was produced by this procedure, but the glands were absorbed; besides the unpleasantness and possible risk in such a method. A glycerin-extract ofthe thyroid gland was next used on animals, after thyroidectomy, and the favorable results led brown-sequard to suggest that it might be useful in the myxe dema of man. Dr. Murry of Newcastle. England, appears to have been among the first, if not the first, to use the method. The difficulty in making an extract that would be stable, and the objection patients had to the hypodermic injection of the remedy, soon led to a trial, first of the cooked glands of sheep, and later to the dried and powdered gland, by Hector mackenzie. Since this preliminary work, of which only a briefsketch is here given, many cases have been reported of this disease in man and its treatment by thyroid gland. Space will not permit a reference to the published articles and cases, and we can give but a brief reference to the interesting discussions which have arisen as to the relationship, if any exist, between myxedema and other morbid conditions, such as Graves' disease, acromegaly, etc. The object of this article is to relate brie y the histories of a few cases of myxedema in young persons and the results of treatment with sheep's thyroids. I have ln variably used the desiccated thyroid prepared by Parke, Davis Co.; it has proved quite effective in these cases. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."