Recently, Leichtenstein,
observing in a case of myxedema treated with the thyroid gland
that the subcutaneous fat disappeared with the continuance of the
treatment, was led to adopt this treatment for obesity itself and
reports striking results. The diet of the patient remained the
same, and as the appetite was not diminished by the treatment the
loss of weight was evidently due to other causes than altered
alimentation. He holds that the observations in myxedema, in
obesity, and psoriasis warrant the belief that the thyroid gland
eliminates a material having a regulating influence upon the
constitution of the panniculus adiposus and upon the nutrition of
the skin in general. There were 25 patients in all; in 22 the
effect was entirely satisfactory, the loss of weight amounting to
as much as 9.5 kilos (21 pounds). Of the three cases in which the
result was not satisfactory, one had nephritis with severe
Graves' disease, and the third psoriasis. Charrin has used the
injections of thyroid extract with decided benefit. So soon as
the administration of the remedy was stopped the loss of weight
ceased, but with the renewal of the remedy the loss of weight
again ensued to a certain point, beyond which the extract seemed
powerless to act.
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