Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-xxrs7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T15:28:06.589Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Treatment of Myxœdema and Cretinism, being a Review of the Treatment of these Diseases with the Thyroid Gland, with a Table of 100 Published Cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

Cecil F. Beadles*
Affiliation:
Colney Hatch Asylum

Extract

I propose in the following paper to review briefly the treatment that has recently been made use of in myxœdema, and compare the several ways in which it has been carried out, after a few preliminary remarks on the pre-thyroid methods.

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1893 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

The most important discussions that have yet taken place are those at Nottingham in July, 1892 (in the early days of the new thyroid treatment), and Edinburgh, February 15th and 16th, 1893. To the reports of these I would direct your attention. I understand that at the annual meeting of the British Medical Association, at Newcastle, in August next, Prof. Horsley has promised to open a discussion on “The Thyroid.”Google Scholar

These include 40 cases referred to at the Edinburgh Med.-Chir. Soc. on February 15th and 16th, 1893, but not the 50 cases which were then mentioned as known to exist about the neighbourhoods of Edinburgh and Dundee.Google Scholar

On a Cretinoid State supervening in Adult Life in Women,” Clin. Soc. of London, 1873.Google Scholar

Ord. Medico-Chir. Trans.,” Vol. lxi., p. 57, 1877.Google Scholar

§ Report of a Committee of the Clinical Society of London to investigate the subject of Myxœdema,” 1888.Google Scholar

Case reported in “The Journal of Path, and Bact.,” No. 2, 1892.Google Scholar

Quain's “Dictionary of Medicine,” 1883, p. 1016.Google Scholar

Brit. Med. Journ.,” February 4th, 1893, p. 262.Google Scholar

Myxœdema Report,” p. 34.Google Scholar

This is as follows:—“Jaborandi in 12 and pilocarpin in six. Of these 18, 11 improved. In three improvement was great, and in one of these hot-air baths were also used. In five no improvement; in two results not stated. Nitro-glycerine in three. Marked temporary improvement in one, slight improvement in one, no effect in one. Iron, quinine, and sulphur baths caused almost entire disappearance of œdema in one. Iodide of potassium in large doses temporarily relieved occipital headache in one. Induced current in two. Improvement in one. Galvanism to the spine probably of use in one. Iron beneficial in four, but in a much larger proportion no good resulted. Strychnia or nux vomica in 10. Improvement in two. Quinine, hydrobromic acid, phosphorus, cod-liver oil, cold baths, milk diet, and ‘tonics’ apparently useless.” The above are extracted from 65 answers received. See page 22 of report.Google Scholar

Quain's “Dictionary of Medicine,” 1883.Google Scholar

§ Dr. Affleck (“Edin. Med. Jour.,” May, 1893, p. 1060) has, however, known great improvement to follow this treatment.Google Scholar

The Practitioner,” January, 1893.Google Scholar

Lancet,” October 22, 1892.Google Scholar

Sheffield Medical Journal,” No. 1, October, 1892.Google Scholar

Lancet,” January 21, 1893.Google Scholar

§ Medical Beprints,” September 16, 1892. “Eeport of Two Cases of Myxœdema with one Autopsy.“Google Scholar

Brit. Med. Journ.,” April 15, 1893, p. 795.Google Scholar

Note on a Possible Means of Arresting the Progress of Myxœdema, Cachexia Strumipriva, and Allied Diseases.” “Brit. Med. Journ.,” Feb. 8,Google Scholar

Lancet,” March 22, 1890, p. 665.Google Scholar

Lancet,” Nov. 29, 1890, p. 1192.Google Scholar

La Semaine Medicale,” Aug. 13, 1890.Google Scholar

For the translation notes of this case, and from which the above is taken, I am indebted to my friend Dr. Boyce.Google Scholar

§ Lancet,” May 2, 1891, p. 1003; also “Brit. Med. Journ.,” Oct. 10, 1891.Google Scholar

The Medical Pioneer,” Oct., 1892, and “Lancet,” May 2,1891, p. 1003.Google Scholar

Lancet,” April 9, 1892, p. 798.Google Scholar

Edin. Med. Journ.,” May, 1892, and “Lancet,’ May 12, 1892, p. 609.Google Scholar

Lancet,” Feb. 4, 1893, p. 248.Google Scholar

Lancet,“ Jan. 21, 1893, p. 124.Google Scholar

Brit. Med. Journ.” (Epitome), Nov. 12, 1892, and “Arch. Gén.de Méd.,“ Oct., 1892.Google Scholar

Note on the Treatment of Myxœdema by Hypodermic Injections of an Extract of the Thyroid Gland of a Sheep.” “Brit. Med. Journ.,” Oct. 10, 1891.Google Scholar

I have been informed that some time back Messrs. Brady and Martin alone were supplying the extract for the use of 100 cases, so there are probably now considerably beyond that number of cases undergoing the treatment.Google Scholar

The earlier cases have also been tabulated by Dr. Robert A. Lundie on much the same lines as that now presented, and appear with his paper, “The Treatment of Myxœdema,” which he read before the Edin. Med. Chir. Soc., and are printed in “The Edin. Med. Journ.,” May, 1893.Google Scholar

Brit. Med. Journ.,” August 27th, 1892.Google Scholar

§ A Case of Myxœdema Treated with Great Benefit by Feeding with Fresh Thyroid Glands.” “Brit. Med. Journ.,” October 29th, 1892.Google Scholar

A Case of Myxœdema Treated by taking Extract of Thyroid by the Mouth.” “Brit. Med. Journ.,” October 29th, 1892.Google Scholar

Brit. Med. Journ.,” February 4th, 1893, p. 266, and “Semaine Méd.,” 8th Fév., 1893.Google Scholar

“Brit. Mod. Journ.” and “Lancet,” Feb. 4, 1893.Google Scholar

§ Brit. Med. Journ.“ (Epitome), April 15, 1893. (“Deut. Med. Woch.,“ March 16, 1893).Google Scholar

Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.