White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-02-21
WHY WE BEHAVE
LIKE HUMAN BEINGS
By GEORGE DORSEY. Ph. D.. IL. D.
The Secret of the Thyroid


The Secret of the Thyroid
THE endocrine gland best under
L stood is the thyroid (shieldlike)
astride our Adams apple. 1t varies
individually and with age. 1t is rela-
lively largest In fetal life. At birth its
weight in proportion to the entire
body is as l to 300, by the third week
1 to 1,16O, and in the adult as to
1880. 1t IS generally larger in women
than in men. Why this is so is not yet
known.
The thyroid usually consists of two
equally developed lobes two inches
long, an inch and quarter broad.
They vary greatly; one lobe may be
much larger than the other, or may be
quite absent. Generally the two lobes
are connected by an isthmus; this also
varies in position or may be absent.
There may be accessory thyroids down
the trachea as far as the heart.
Only in higher fishes does the thy.
roid become ductless gland, take on
new functions, and start a new ca
reer. In man, duct is sometimes
found in the isthmus-vestige of q
condition found in lowest fishes, echo
of millions Of years ago. It is prone
to trouble.
Children with deficient thyroids,
through removal, atrophy, or injury,
become heavy-featured, gibbering,
idiotic dwarfs known as cretins; they
do not metamorphose into normal
adults.
These appalling results in both chill
dren and adults have been corrected
by feeding thyroid extract.
Enlargement of the thyroid from
whatsoever cause is called goiter, or
Derbyshire neck. But an over-devel.
oped or over-active thyroid produces
a definite disease known as toxic or
exophthalmic goiter, or Graves dis.
ease. This is characterized by In
creased metabolism and blood pres.
sure, rapid pulse, lax and moist skin,
nervousness, and protruding eyeballs
hence the name, "exophthalmic."
The remedy is still in the hands Of
the surgeon.
It is believed that the activating
principle of the thyroid hormone is
thyro1in, isolated by Kendall in 1913
Thyroxin is crystalline compound
Of three molecules of iodine fixed in
a protein derivative: tri-iodo-tri-hydro-
oxyindo1e propionic acid. or Is per
cent of iodine.
Only the thyroid secretes thyroxin,
and apparently It is the iodine in thy.
roxin that tells the story. Iodine is
found in many seaweeds; is three
times more abundant in Goldfish than
In human beings; is found In traces in
milk and In drinking water; and gets
it's name from its violet (iodes) colorI
Possibly no life exists without TO-
dine. Certainly normal human life is
without one one-hundredth
Of a grain of thyroxfn a day. Three
and half grains of thyroxin are all
that stands between intelligence and
imbecility.
The adrenals, or suprarenals, get
their name from their position just
above the kidneys. Normally they are
Of the size and shape of large bean.
But they vary: one-or, in rare cases,
both-may be absent; there may be ac-
cessory adrenals varying in size from
a pin head. to a large pea. Removal OF
both glands Is fatal, often within a
few hours. When death does not fol.
low their removal it is because ac-
cessory adrenals are present and can
function.
Adrenin is a powerful drug and
powerful cardio-vascular stimulant
Normally our blood contains about
eight milligrams Of 1t, which means
that the proportion of adrenin to ar
terial blood is one part to a billion.
It influences some tissues when d.
luted to one part in 100,000,00O. 1t de-
presses the intestinal canal when d.
luted to one part in 330,000,000! Large
doses are fatal.
Adrenin is a drug, one Of the most
potent our body concocts. Yet adrenal
feeding leads to no known or proved
results The administration of the drug
adrenalin does lead to profound re.
suits. Our body blood contains this
drug. Whether it is. made by or ex-
GREETED by the adrenals is still an open
question, but that adrenin has specific
action on the vascular system, the
nervous system, the blood, the ALI
mentary canal, and on sugar mobillza
ton, there Is no doubt. Nor is there
any doubt that when administered as
drug it increases the action Of local
anesthetics by constructing the blood
vessels, thus preventing local loss OF
the anesthetic. And as this reduces
the amount Of anesthetic required, 1t
also reduces the amount of toxin dan.
ger from the anesthetfc. 1t checks
hemorrhages. 1t allays the spasms OF
acute bronchial asthma. 1t also stimu.
lates weak hearts and fOrtities the
hearts of the old and fnf1rm against
the shock Of operation.
In short, adrenalin exerts an influ-
ence upon all smooth muscle ener-
waited by fibers of the autonomic nerv'
Gus system. That makes it's respOn-
sibility enormous, it's influence on hu.
man destiny second to none.
m hv Gaor0e A. Dorsevl