The Colorado statesman., 1915-02-20
copyright. 1914. by A. S. Grayl
THE PARATHYRoID GLAND.

we are compelled to use animals
such as the dog, the cat, the monkey
and the like for the purpose of secur-
ing experimental corroboration of
many theories because physiological
chemistry experiments along such
lines generally necessitate extensive
and dangerous surgical procedures.
And although an abundance of expert
mental material is readily obtainable,
the demonstrations of theories enorm.
ously important to man are necessar-
lily slow, largely because of a wide
spread prejudice against considering
conditions in the lower animals an
alogous to thoEe found in the human.
Schiff noted fatal results to dogs
following removal of the thyroid in
1856 and wrote about it in 1859, but
no notice was taken of his work by
the surgical profession. Again in 1884,
following reports of the removal of
human thyroids by Raverdin in 1882
and Kocher in 1883, Schiff wrote show
ing that after complete extirpation
of the thyroid all the animals died in
four to twenty-seven days. These ex-
periments were confirmed by various
observers, but in many instances the
symptoms shown by the animals sub
sequent to the operation proved to be
OF most variable character, NOT only
in different species, but also in diff
ferent individuals of the same species.
A few of the animals succumbed in
few days, frequently with the accom-
paniment of convulsions; others lived
for some months or even longer and
sank gradually from general lack of
nutrition, but occasionally dog would
survive the operation.
In the case of the human being
complete removal induced a like var
iety of symptoms, state resembling
myXedema and cretinism "a condition
of deficient development and idiocy),
besides anemia, a readiness to fatigue,
a sensation of cold aud occasionally
tetany (convulsions).
The four Insignificant pealike par
athyroid (near-thyroid) glands tucked
away behind the more prominent
thyroid gland for long time escaped
the eye of the anatomist, and for a
long time after they were discovered
they were given no particular consid-
Grafton. But careful investigation of
these baby glands by anatomist, his
tologist and embryologist proved them
to be Independent organs structurally
and functionally distinct from any
other tissues, and of vast Importance
in the economy.
Experimental investigations demon
strated the parathyroids to be vital
organs of remarkable physiological
activity in a wide range of animal
organisms. 1t was demonstrated that
rabbits deprived of these tiny bodies
died in convulsions. Gradually the
significance of this observation dawned
upon surgeons and psychologists.
When the parathyroids alone are re-
moved the animal dies quickly with
acute symptoms, including convul-
sions; but when the thyroids alone
are removed the animal may survive
for long period, but will develop a
condition of chronic malnutrition sim
dema in man.
The experimental evidence in the
case of the parathyroids tends to SUD-
port the view that their function con-
sists of in some way neutralizing toxic
substances formed elsewhere in the
body; they are poison destroying or
gans, whose principal function most
probably is to neutralize the metabol-
ic poisons particularly detrimental to
the nervous system. Therefore, after
removal of these glands, death occurs
from the accumulation of the so-called
metabolfc tetany poisons formed in
the blood and tissues, attacking the
nerves in the absence of the normal
parathyroid secretions.
The tetany (convulsion) of pregnan-
cy and lactation, epilepsy, exophthalm-
ic goiter, paralysis agitans (shaking
palsy and other conditions associated
with muscular tremor is closely identi-
fled with parathyroid insufficiency.
And so, too, is osteomalacia (morbid
softening of bone), decaying teeth and
ricketts,. 1t is known that lack of lime
(calcium) in the organism leads to
tetany, hence calcium metabolism is
doubtless influenced by the parathy-
roid glands and the parathyroids in
turn are, of course, gravely infiu-
enced by lack of calcium. This is a
fact of vast Importance, as later in
vestigations will prove.
Many observers have reported that
injections of parathyroid gland ex-
tracts cause the tetany to disappear
without, however, protecting the ami
NAL from fatal outcome. But in 1908
Macallum and Voegtlin reported that
injection or ingestion of calcium salts
completely and instantly checks the
symptoms of tetany arising from the
removal of the parathyroids aad re-
stores the animal to an apparently
normal condition. Similar results have
been obtained upon human beings suf-