Abstract
In 1921 1 and in 1924 2 we reported 20 cases of Graves'disease treated with a glycerol extract of fresh ox suprarenal cortex. This treatment produced very striking improvement in 12 to 15 days in the following particulars, namely (1) a gain in body weight, (2) a gain in muscle strength, (3) disappearance of diarrhea, (4) control of excessive menstrual flow and (5) a marked decrease in the metabolic rate, approaching normal after 2 to 4 months.
During the past 6 years we have treated approximately 50 additional cases by this method with the same general results.
In 1928 Szent-Györgyi 3 isolated a hexuronic acid from suprarenal cortex which is easily destroyed by exposure to air. In the preparation of our suprarenal cortex emulsion any hexuronic acid present would probably be destroyed. We, therefore, thought that possibly more effective results might be obtained if our treatment with suprarenal cortex were supplemented by concentrates of freshly prepared hexuronic acid. The following are the results obtained to date:
Case I. Female, married, age 32, No. 18012. Patient had acute rheumatic fever in 1926 and diphtheria in July, 1929. Following the diphtheria, the patient noted weakness, palpitation, swelling of the ankles and sweating. Thyroid enlargement was noted in August, 1929, for which she was treated with Lugol's solution for 3 weeks. On admission the patient had all the symptoms of a severe Graves'disease in addition to a rheumatic cardiac disability.
During a preliminary rest period of 2 months there occurred the expected decrease of metabolism from +62% to +41%. Between January 4 and January 22, 300 mg. of hexuronic acid was administered daily with no further decrease of metabolism. Between January 22 and May 29, 12 to 24 cc. of suprarenal cortex emulsion was given daily by mouth.
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