Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06

WI HEN a boy Oh nLteen Is sl3
W feet and seven inches tall
w and still growing, that is
evidence of one type of mistake
which Nature makes and which ply
sicians and surgeons are exerting
themselves to rectify, OF the same
type of mistake is the previously
normal man or woman who suddenly
becomes Unfortunately fat and keeps
getting fatter.
In neither case, apparently, has
the victim done anything, eaten or
drunk anything, or changed his hab-
its IN any way that might account
for the uncomfortable, really dan
gerous, phenomenon. Plainly Ma
ture has made mistake, and there
is no telling where it will stop.
Comparatively recently medical
science has gained a clue to the par
ticular "loose screw" in the human
mechanism which turns Nature off
the beaten track in this particular
way That clue lies in the condition
of the little ductless gland at the
base of the brain called the hypo-
physis, or pituitary body. 1t has
been discovered that when this lit
tie gland-no larger than the tip
of your little finger-is diseased or
compressed by a tumor, unaccount-
able disturbances are set up in the
rest of the human machine so af-
flicted Post-mortem examinations Of
giants and abnormally fat persons
have nearly always disclosed a dis
eased or compressed condition of
the pituitary body.
Surgical experiments have shown
that a restoration of the natural
functions of this little gland have
the effect of limiting the serious re-
suits referred to- Now, with the
NluSBtNt Ol llblt NbHNlu6iNt lCouAho
than have yet been obtained, sur
geons at the Medico-Chirurgical Hos
pital in Philadelphia, are about to
operate on the brain of John Mitch
ell-the fifteen-year-old boy above
referred to. Thus they hope to nip
in the bud a youthful case of giant
ism, and stop the growth of John
Mitchell at his present more than
respectable height Of six feet and
seven inches.
If this operation is successful in
producing that result, the more than
suspected unique mechanical func-
tion of the pituitary body-which
exists in the brain of all vertebrate
animals. including man-will be
practically proved
With medical men ii is already
more than mere theory that this
little gland exercises a control over
all the organs of the body. stopping
its growth at the point which we
call normal, and preventing the lay
ing on of abnormal quantities of
fat. Its action can be compared to
that of the governor" of a steam
engine. which automatically. with
its whirling balls and valve attach
ment, regulates the inlet of steam
according to the changing stress of
work placed on the engine.
One can easily imagine the need
and therefore the existence. of such
a controlling organ Otherwise why
should the average childs growth
proceed gradually? Why should it
terminate at the average age of ma
turity? Why should individuals Of
the same vertebrate species stop
growing at practically the same age
and size? Why don't they keep on
growing while life lasts?
Nature is presumed to have made
no mistake in fixing the neighbor-
hood of six feet and about one hun
dred and seventy or eighty pounds
as the proper height and weight of a
mature man. We are accustomed to
speak of persons who are much above
or much below that height and that
weight as freaks" Giants are no
toriously weak in the knees, usually
with limbs ill-proportioned to their
bodies, often with hands and feet
too enormously large even fol-
giants.
Other animals dwelling on LAM