Abstract
For some years I have thought that the hyperplasia of the remaining thryoid tissue which has followed excision of a portion of the thyroid gland might be due to infection of the wound, and was, in most cases, not a compensatory hypertrophy; and for the following reasons:
1. In 1888 I found that hyperplasia of the thyroid glands of dogs occurred after the injection of several c.c. of a bouillon culture of Staphylococcus aureus into the peritoneal cavity, and also when a mild form of peritonitis had been produced in these animals—a peritonitis which was not rapidly fatal.
2. Experiments conducted in 1906 and 7 in the Hunterian laboratory seemed to prove that for the successful transplantation of a parathyroid glandule, a considerable deficiency must be created.
3. Have observed that symptoms of hyperthyroidism and even exophthalmic goiter may develop promptly after tonsillitis, appendicitis, pneumonia, typhoid fever and other infections.
4. Twice in the course of the past five years I have had the opportunity to examine the remaining lobe of the thyroid gland after excision of the other in dogs whose wounds had healed throughout without suppuration and have noted that there was no hyperplasia of the former.
5. The inconstant results obtained by other experimenters. Last October I proposed to Dr. Hunnicutt, my assistant the Hunterian laboratory, that he undertake a series of experiments with view to determining the matter definitely. Observing aseptic precautions in the strictest manner Dr. Hunnicutt has made a large number of experiments and we are able to report that in the nine dogs whose thyroids thus far have been examined there has been not the slightest evidence of hyperplasia in a single instance. The average time allowed to elapse between the removal of the first and second lobes was 55 days, the shortest interval being 30 and the longest 81 days.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.