Case of haemophilia treated by the thyroid substance. Face and mucous membrane absolutely colorless; the gums bled profusely at the least touch. The legs, arms, and the body were covered with spots of purpura. During each menstrual period the blood was dis charged in an alarming abundance, and the menses lasted. on an average, from twelve to fourteen days. She had used all the htemostatics without avail. Thy road :tibstance, three capsules a day, was begun on the 9th of October. On the 12th the menses appeared, and instead of continuing for twelve days, as before, lasted hut four days and were moderate in quantity. On the 18th the loss of blood from the gums disappeared. Till the 27th the patient had had no hemor rhage since the last menstrual period. The purpurie spots had disappeared and the gums and face had regained a rosy color. The thyroid substance exercises an action as yet unknown on the plas ticity of the blood. M. L. Dijitee (In diTendance M6d., Nov. 24, '97).
Case in which linmoplulie epistaxis was absolutely unaffected by ordinary therapeutic agents, and the epistaxis became so persistent and exhausting that permanent blocking of the nasal fossa was necessary. Treatment by thy roid extract exerted an immediate and beneficial effect, and was followed by core. In three (lays the violent and per sistent epistaxis had practically stopped. In six days, about S grains of thyroid extract having been given daily, the purpuric eruption ceased and the old spots began to disappear. Seheffler (Archives de Med. et de Pharm. Mil., March. 1901 ) .
Case of a woman who had a mammary tumor which was at first thought to he malignant. Thyroidin was given. and there was a rapid decrease in the size of the tumor, and it ultimately practically disappeared. Similar effects were observed in two cases in which there were large lymphomata and also in three eases of marked splenic en largement without increase of leueo cytes. Arthur Jaenieke (Centralb. f. innere Med., Jan. 12, 1901).
Case of widespread carcinoma in a woman, aged 44 years, in whom thyroid extract, in 5-grain doses varying from two to four times daily, given for six months, produced great amelioration of the symptoms. The symptoms returned, however, in spite of persistence of the treatment. P. B. Smith (Brit. Med. •our., Feb. 16, 1901).
Case of uterine cancer in which the improvement followed so quickly upon the employment of the remedy, and was so striking, that in his own mind the author has not the slightest doubt that it was entirely due to its use, and lie is certain that thyroid extract should always be given a trial in this class of cases before more heroic measures are adopted. II. A. Beaver (Brit. Med.
Jour., Feb. 1, 1902).
The removal of the ovaries, provided they are actively functionating, fre quently causes an arrest of the malig nant mammary growths, and sometimes their complete cure. This action is materially aided by excision of as much as possible of the neoplasm, supple mented by the administration of thyroid extract in full doses. In women past the menopause, the excision of these organs is not so effective, while in others relief appears within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and in favorable cases is rapidly progressive. The dose of thyroid extract that can be safely employed varies from 10 to 15 grains daily. Though this method should not result in perfect cure, it is the best palliative operative pro cedure yet devised. (Dorland.) Two eases in which otiphorectomy plus the administration of thyroid gland had given successful results. In one case the treatment brought about the healing of a large carcinomatous ulcer of the right breast which had recurred after two operations for removal by surgical means, and had determined the disappearance of CANcEn.—Thyroid has recently been tried in this affection, but the cases re ported have been too few to warrant any conclusion as to its merits. Thus, I). McNicol, of Glasgow (Brit. _Med. Jour., Nov. 9, 1901), after referring to an analysis of forty-nine cases thus treated, tried thyroid extract in four personal eases. and reached the conclusion that it did not even prolong life. In our opin ion, the concomitant use of hypoder moclysis would have insured a better re sult.
a large tumor in the other breast, the nature of which was shown by the en largement of the corresponding axillary glands, which glands also had ceased to be perceptible to the touch. G. Herman (Med. Press and Cire., Apr. 22, '99).
Dr. Herman's first case remains well twenty-five months after the operation and his second nine months after. Six other cases (treated by Dr. Beatson, Dr. Cheyne, and self) were disappointing failures. Perhaps thyroid was not stead ily persisted in throughout all these cases, but it was given at first and would doubtless have been continued had it seemed to do good. Such facts as we have before us support (not establish) the view that oaphoreetomy is by far the most important factor in the treatment, and that it may be the only one. Stan ley Body (Lancet, Apr. 29, '99).