| Thyroid Gland | | | | of the thyroid gland was apparently recognized by |
| Couples with a healthy relationship communicate with | | | | the Chinese at least as early as 1500 B.C. Such is |
| each other on a regular basis. The lines of | | | | indicated by drawings and other historical records. |
| communication are always open. Healthy couples are | | | | Indeed, the people used to overcome the condition in |
| able to tell each other when something is wrong. | | | | the Middle Ages by eating burnt sponge and |
| Healthy relationships consist of two equally | | | | seaweed which are rich in iodine. Not until 1916, |
| committed individuals. Healthy couples have realistic | | | | however, was the evidence accumulated that made |
| expectations of each other and are not over | | | | it certain that small doses of iodine taken frequently |
| demanding. | | | | by the patient living in areas in which there are small |
| | | | amounts of iodine in the soil and in the water will |
| Since the condition is lack of thyroid material, the | | | | prevent simple goiter. |
| treatment includes the giving of thyroid, and the | | | | Certain substances have been recognized as having |
| dosage is adjusted according to the need of the | | | | the power to stimulate goiter, but goiter caused by |
| patient and his response to the drug. | | | | these substances-like thiocyanates or cabbage, which |
| Cretinism | | | | cause a lessening of thyroid hormone-is infrequent. |
| The lack of sufficient secretion from the thyroid | | | | The chief symptoms of goiter are, of course, the |
| gland during early life, as mentioned previously, results | | | | enlargement and bulging in the throat due to the |
| in delayed development which is called cretinism. If a | | | | large size of the gland. There are cases, however, in |
| child develops normally and then begins to show | | | | which the enlargement becomes so great that it may |
| evidences of lack of thyroid the case is called | | | | even interfere with breathing or injure the voice by |
| "acquired hypothyroidism." The condition may appear | | | | pressure on the nerves that go to the larynx. The |
| as a failure of the thyroid gland to grow or as a | | | | prevention of such enlargement of the gland by the |
| result of failure of the pituitary gland to stimulate the | | | | taking of small doses of iodine regularly during the |
| thyroid by sending the pituitary secretion necessary | | | | period of childhood and adolescence is now well |
| for this purpose. The latter failure is rare. | | | | established. Iodized salt is now commonly used, so |
| No one sign is typical of cretinism or insufficient | | | | that the iodine is taken regularly in this manner. In |
| thyroid, but a combination is well-nigh unmistakable. | | | | cases of severe enlargement of the gland obviously |
| The child has physical and mental torpor. The | | | | removal by surgery is desirable. |
| circulation of the blood is poor. In fact, all the | | | | Parathyroid Glands |
| activities of the body are under par, including the | | | | Behind and near to the thyroid gland are other glands |
| muscle tone, sweating, and the activity of the bowel. | | | | which are known as parathyroid glands, their chief |
| The growth, including bones and teeth, hair and brain, | | | | function being control of the use of calcium and |
| is stunted. The skin is thickened and coarse and fluid | | | | phosphorus by the body. Apparently this gland |
| accumulates under the skin. The cretin is sluggish and | | | | responds with secretion of its hormone when the |
| shows little interest in what goes on around him. | | | | amounts of calcium and phosphorus in the serum of |
| The child with deficient action of the thyroid | | | | the blood become insufficient. However, extracts of |
| responds rapidly to treatment with thyroid extract. | | | | the parathyroid gland have been prepared and are |
| Almost immediately there is improvement in color and | | | | used in cases where people apparently suffer from a |
| warmth of the skin. Within a few weeks there is loss | | | | lack of parathyroid hormone. The lack of this |
| of weight as the body gets rid of the extra fluid. | | | | hormone is made evident by such symptoms as |
| Almost immediately, growth begins again. Because of | | | | tremors of the body, called "tetany," which occurs |
| this prompt benefit there may be a tendency to give | | | | also with insufficiency of calcium. The tetany or |
| more and more thyroid, and this will have bad results | | | | tremors, which are like muscle spasms or cramps, are |
| as shown in heightened excitability, nervousness and | | | | due to extra excitability of the nerves controlling the |
| a rise in the blood pressure. | | | | muscles. |
| The earlier a diagnosis can be made and the sooner | | | | Obviously the condition may be controlled by giving |
| treatment can be begun the better. Sometimes the | | | | extra calcium directly into the blood or by taking large |
| damage to the brain by just a few months deficiency | | | | amounts of calcium by mouth. The condition may also |
| may be so severe that it is difficult if not impossible | | | | be controlled by direct injection of the parathyroid |
| to overcome. Such children may become irritable and | | | | hormone. Calcium is also controllable through the use |
| unmanageable after treatment, and the doctor must | | | | of vitamin D or of a substance like vitamin D called |
| determine the amount of thyroid necessary to keep | | | | dihydrotachysterol. |
| the child under control. | | | | The action of this substance is more like the action |
| Excess Action Of The Thyroid | | | | of the parathyroid hormone than is vitamin D itself. In |
| Although the condition called hyperthyroidism, which is | | | | the treatment of this condition, the diet should be |
| due to excessive action of the thyroid gland, was | | | | one which contains much calcium and relatively little |
| first observed around 1830, a really complete | | | | phosphorus. The foods which are rich in calcium are |
| understanding of the condition did not develop until | | | | milk and cheese products and the leafy green |
| 1890. Excessive action of the thyroid may occur at | | | | vegetables. Milk also, however, includes phosphorus, |
| any age. The condition is much more frequent in | | | | as does egg yolk, cauliflower and molasses. |
| women than in men. In areas in which goiter is | | | | As might be expected, excessive action of the |
| infrequent, women may have excessive action of | | | | parathyroid glands results in changes of the bones of |
| the thyroid gland in a proportion of four women to | | | | the body, because the bones are largely made up of |
| one man. | | | | calcium. Since the parathyroid glands so definitely |
| The exact cause of excessive action of the thyroid | | | | control the use of calcium by the body, some have |
| gland is not known, but the most frequently | | | | thought that kidney stones might be due to some |
| accepted view at this time is that the body responds | | | | action of the parathyroid glands. This has not, |
| to stress, either emotional, physical, or infectious, by | | | | however, been established with certainty. Cases of |
| excessive action of the pituitary gland which in turn | | | | excessive action of the parathyroid gland can occur |
| over stimulates the thyroid gland. If this condition | | | | without any evident changes in the bones and, in |
| goes on, such symptoms may develop as bulging of | | | | fact, the condition may be more frequent than is |
| the eyes, which is a part of exophthalmic goiter; and | | | | now suspected. There may be excessive growth of |
| there may be enlargement of the thyroid gland, | | | | the tissues of the parathyroid glands which can result |
| although there are cases in which the thyroid gland is | | | | in excessive activity. |
| enlarged without other symptoms. The person who | | | | When large amounts of extra calcium are found in |
| is over stimulated by thyroid is nervous, irritable and | | | | the blood and with that muscular weakness, loss of |
| emotionally unstable. | | | | appetite, and pain in the bones, and, not infrequently, |
| Since excessive action of the thyroid is due to | | | | excessive elimination of fluid through the kidneys, the |
| secretion of too much hormone or glandular | | | | physician suspects excessive action of the |
| substance, treatment of the condition includes a | | | | parathyroid glands. |
| number of different procedures. The certain method | | | | Since vitamin D has become available as a |
| is removal of a portion of the thyroid gland by | | | | concentrate, and since people have been taking |
| surgery, with or without the use of such drugs as | | | | exceedingly large doses of vitamin D to treat a |
| propylthiouracil which diminish thyroid activity. | | | | variety of conditions, difficulty has occurred in |
| Radioiodine, which is a radioactive form of this | | | | recognizing the difference between excessive vitamin |
| substance, is now used to treat excessive action of | | | | D in the body and excessive action of the |
| the thyroid gland. In some cases excessive action of | | | | parathyroid glands. |
| the thyroid may be so great that serious symptoms | | | | In every case of hyperparathyroidism the possibility |
| develop, including fever, an exceedingly rapid beating | | | | of surgical removal of excess tissue of the |
| of the heart and even prostration. | | | | parathyroids must be considered as primary in the |
| Simple Goiter | | | | treatment. |
| The bulging in the throat that is due to enlargement | | | | |