Читать книгу Old Age Deferred. The causes of old age and its postponement by hygienic and therapeutic measures онлайн

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In diabetes, which disease, according to our investigations, is often caused by changes in the thyroid,^[18] and subsequently in the pancreas, or vice versâ, amenorrhea or impotency is frequently met with.

On the other hand, changes in the ovaries are also, as a rule, followed by changes in the thyroid gland, as may be seen in puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, and the climacteric. We will enlarge upon this later, in greater detail, but we will only briefly mention here that we may frequently see a swelling of the thyroid gland as an expression of increased activity during these conditions. We can also see this in diseases of the ovaries, and, as certain authors show, even sexual excesses can produce an altered state of the thyroid. This was known to the ancient Hebrews, for they used to examine the neck of the newly-married bride the morning following the wedding night to see if the neck had become larger by the swelling of the thyroid gland.

Thus we can readily understand that, frequently, swelling of the thyroid is the consequence of overwork of this organ, and, as in the case of great sexual excesses or frequent pregnancies, may lead to exhaustion of the gland with its grave clinical consequences.