Case of exophthalmic goitre in a girl of 22. Pulse, 156 and very irregular, both in force and frequency. Thirty grains of dried thymus in the form of tabloids given daily, and on the third day the pulse had fallen to 130 and was quite regular. The amount of thymus was gradually increased to 100 grains daily; at the end of three weeks the pulse had fallen to 73 and was regular. The size of the thyroid was not dimin ished, but the exophthalmos was less marked. C. Todd (Brit. Med. Jour., July 25, '96).
Three eases of exophthalmic goitre treated with thymus gland. All three were restored to health by the treat ment. The dose of the raw gland was from half an ounce to an ounce three or four times a week. In one of the cases discontinuance of the gland was followed by relapse, but on resuming it the patient again improved. Upon one occasion a patient who always had been benefited by the treatment failed to re spond to the glands. This was found to be due to their having been taken from full-grown sheep. On giving calves' thy mus most urgent symptoms were at once relieved, especially dyspncea, palpitation, and tremors. David Owen (Lancet, Aug. '96).
Case of twenty years' duration in which ordinary remedies were tried with out benefit. Raw thymus obtained from the lamb, in doses of 2 drachms daily for three months. caused the cardinal symptoms to disappear. The treatment was discontinued after seven months.
Three months later there was a return of goitre, tachycardia, and slight exophthai mos. He resumed the thymus, taking ounce or more cf the raw gland three or four times a week. After three months the exophthalmos and goitre had quite disappeared, the pulse, instead of 120 and over, was 72. The following autumn the patient was unable to take the gland any longer, on account of its nauseating effects. At the end of three months the old disease was returning. He again resorted to the thymus, but took it for two months without any effect whatever. Lambing season cor responding to the spring, however, the failure of the glands doubtless due to the fact that the glands had been taken from older sheep than before. Calf's thy mus tried, lamb's not being obtainable. For some time the patient was worse; but, during severe suffering he took about'/, ounce of calf's thymus, and re peated the dose in the morning. During the following week he improved remark ably. The improvement continued dur ing the winter, but there was a return of symptoms this summer. Now suffers from occasional palpitation, sense of weakness, and low spirits, and some prominence of the eyes. David Owen (Brit. Med. Jour., Oct. 10, '96).
Case of a girl, 21 years of age, who had applied for treatment for palpitation of the heart, prominence of the eyes, and swelling in the neck. first been observed two years ago. All three symptoms were less striking than before the use of thy mus gland, begun two months before re port. C. E. Naminack (Med. Record, Apr. 17, '97).
Improvement in six out of twelve cases of exophthalmic goitre. The goitre, ex ophthalmos, and palpitation were im proved, and nervousness, insomnia, and tremor very much relieved. Solomon Solis-Cohen (Amer. Jour. Med. Sciences. p. 132, '97).
The best results in the treatment, of exophthaIrnic goitre can be obtained from the joint administration of thymus and suprarenal substances. Solomon Solis-Cohen (Phila. Polyclinic, Sept. 7, '95).
Marked case of Graves's disease. rebell ious to other treatment for three years and threatening melancholia, improved in a week and practically cured in three months, with 15 to 25 grains of extract of lamb-thymus a day. The only symp tom left was a slight enlargement of the thyroid. C. E. Boisvert (Revue Med. de Montreal, June 21, '99).
Four cases of exophthalmic goitre treated with thymus extract. In two no perceptible effect was obtained. In the two others there was considerable im provement amounting practically to a cure in one case. W. R. Parker (Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 7, '99).
From the cases narrated, there is reason to believe that further use of thymus or its preparations will demonstrate that it is superior to thyroid in exophthalmic goitre, although it may not prove more efficacious than the remedies usually em ployed in the treatment of this disease.
Suprarenal Extract.
To try to establish the therapeutic application of suprarenal gland or its preparations upon a solid foundation for the present would be a futile effort, physiologists having not, as yet, fully determined any of the purposes of the organs themselves in the human econ omy. Quoting Horatio C. Wood (1896). The functions of the suprarenal cap sules still remain a mystery. This only is certain: that disease of these cap sules is followed by a progressive asthe nia, a peculiar bronzing of the skin, and loss of digestive power with excessive vomiting," while Stockman, referring to its secretion, wonders whether its absence leads to a toxic condition of the blood which poisons the other tissues, or whether the want of it leads directly to an atonic state of the whole muscular system. These, he thinks, are questions which, for the present, must be left open, along with many other important points, such as the origin of the pigment, etc., which are still very obscure.