THYROID.

PREPARATION.--The dried thyroid gland of the sheep is triturated in the usual way or an extract may be prepared from the fresh gland.

(The following paper on the effects of _Thyroid_ was written by Dr. F. G. OEhme, Roseburg, Oregon:)

The _Thyroid_, especially if used continually or in large doses, _causes_ the following _symptoms_:

1. Elevation of the temperature.

2. Increase of the heart's action and of the frequency and volume of the pulse, which, however, is more compressible. Walking, even standing, after taking a dose is apt to cause a feeling of faintness and even complete syncope. The heart may become so weak that it cannot endure any overexertion without danger, even death may result.

3. Shortness of breath.

4. Increase or decrease of appet.i.te, sometimes nausea, less frequently vomiting, still less diarrhoea.

5. Improvement in body nutrition generally, more complete absorption of nitrogenous food. But later on nitrogen is excreted in excess of that taken in the food.

6. Loss of weight.

7. Increase of s.e.xual desire.

8. Menses profuse, prolonged or more frequent, rarely amenorrhoea.

9. Increased activity of the mucous membrane, kidneys and skin, which becomes moist and oily, sometimes exfoliation of the epidermis.

10. Rapid growth of the skeleton in the young with softening and bending of those bones which have to bear weight.

11. A disease closely resembling exophthalmic goitre. A cataleptic improved under large doses of _Thyroid_, but when the dose of 75 grs. a day was reached symptoms like those of exophthalmic goitre developed with a pulse of 160, but no glandular swelling. When the _Thyroid_ was discontinued the catalepsy grew worse, the exophthalmic goitre better; when resumed the catalepsy better, the exophthalmic goitre worse.

A patient, while under _Thyroid_ treatment for myxoedema, took, through a misunderstanding, in eleven days nearly 3 ounces of the dessicated _Thyroid_, whereupon tachycardia, pyrexia, insomnia, tremor of the limbs, polyuria, alb.u.minuria, and glucosuria, in short, a disease similar to exophthalmic goitre developed.

_Thyroid_ has been _used_ with benefit in the following _diseases_:

1. Arrested development in children, cretinism, idiotism.

2. Myxoedema. [The extirpation of the entire _Thyroid_ produces a disease resembling myxoedema.]

3. Simple goitre.

4. Excessive obesity with tendency to weakness and anaemia.

5. Melancholia functional insanity, where improvement has taken place up to a certain point and then remains so.

6. Defective secretion of milk during lactation when connected with reappearance of menses. _Thyroid_ will suppress the latter and increase and enrich the milk.

7. In fractures of the bones in which consolidation does not promptly occur.

8. Hypertrophy of cicatricial tissue resembling keloid, possibly true keloid.

_Doses:_ Either the fresh gland of the sheep prepared like food or the extract, or in the dessicated state, of the latter may be given from 2-3 grs., or more or less, once a day (at night) or oftener.

The _Thyroid_ is _contra-indicated_ in tuberculous persons, as they are apt to lose quickly in weight, over two pounds in twenty-four hours.

Rheumatic and anaemic symptoms are more frequently aggravated than improved.

As the _Thyroid_ is a powerful remedy, the following should be always remembered:

There is a decided difference with regard to individual toleration, some are very susceptible.

The pulse should be watched regarding frequency and quality. The least effort or exertion will increase it even to 160, hence some cases should be kept in bed or at least very quiet and tranquil even for a time after the remedy has been discontinued. Deaths have taken place after a few days' treatment.

If _Thyroid_ is not taken for myxoedema the patient should be weighed at least every two weeks, and if pathogenetic symptoms, called thyroidism, appear the remedy should be discontinued or reduced.

If softening of the bones has been caused it may be necessary to restrict the use of the legs or to use splints.

_Thyroid_ seems to have a c.u.mulative effect.

In many cases a liberal diet should be prescribed to avoid injurious consequences.

TRYCHOSANTHES DIOICA.

NAT. ORD., Cucurbitaceae.

COMMON NAME, Patal.

PREPARATION.--One part of the entire fresh plant is macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(In 1893 H. L. Saha, h.o.m.oeopathic pract.i.tioner, Pabna, Bengal, sent the following to _Hom. Recorder_:)

_Trychosanthes dioica_ (Bengali name, Patal). It belongs to the order of _Cucurbitaeae_, is a creeper, flowering in all seasons, but chiefly in spring. It is a native of Bengal. Its fruit is called Patal, and is used by the natives as one of their chief curry.

The plant and its root are used by the native physicians in various maladies. Its action is mainly upon the liver and intestines. The decoction of the root is generally used by the mother physicians for removing costiveness, especially where there is a derangement of the functions of the liver.

A boy of fourteen years of age, who had habitual constipation, took, at the advice of a quack native physician, about three or four ounces of the decoction of its root, which produced profuse diarrhoea. After four or five stools I was called. I saw him weak and dejected, using abusive language to his native physician. His face was very pale. Stools were profuse, frequent, gushing, yellowish, watery. Much pain and cutting about the umbilicus during and before stool. After every stool he felt dizziness of the brain. This case struck me that _Trychosanthes dioica_ will prove a grand remedy for diarrhoea. I prepared its tincture from the root and used it in 3x potency, in some cases with great satisfaction. The following cases will show its curative power:

1. A girl, aged 6 years, was attacked with diarrhoea; stools were profuse, thin, yellowish, watery, mixed with little white mucous; very offensive smell; cutting pain about umbilicus during and after stool.

Pain in liver and eyes; jaundice; face yellowish; very weak; did not wish to answer questions: sad and peevish. On the fifth day I was called. I prescribed _Trychosanthes dioica_ 3x every three hours. I saw the patient much better next day. Within a day or two the patient was all right.

2. A boy, aged 16 years, suffering from chronic diarrhoea; pa.s.sed from four to five stools in a day. The character of the stool was yellowish, watery, mixed with a little white and greenish mucus. Smell offensive; dull, aching pain in the region of the liver. Face very pale; eyes jaundiced. He was very sad and dejected. His appet.i.te little; taste bitter. He had been at first treated by an allopath, then, afterwards, by a h.o.m.oeopath. The latter showed some improvement. I was called on the thirteenth day, when I noticed the above symptoms. I prescribed _Trychosanthes_ 3x every four hours. The patient was completely cured within four days.

I cured some cases of choleric diarrhoea by this medicine, but those cases were vaguely reported to me.

I hope that, when proven, _Trychosanthes dioica_ will show its large sphere of action and give our Materia Medica a new remedy for looseness of bowels.

USNEA BARBATA.