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Thyroidinum siccatum is obtained from the thyroids of sheep. These thyroids are taken from freshly killed animals, and when professionally pronounced health, they are dried and pulverized. In the preparation any important operation is carefully avoided, and the whole gland used, because it has not as yet been proved to a certainty to which part of the gland (ferment, globulin or albumen) its particular effect may be attributed. The preparation represents a coarse greyish yellow powder of a peculiar smell. 6 grs. of the powder correspond to the effective components of a whole, fresh, medium-sized thyroid. The subcutaneous and internal application of the thyroid, and that of an extract made out of it, has lately been recommended especially by English doctors for myxoedema, which may be traced to loss of the thyroid-functions according to investigations made by Kocher, Eiselsberg and Horsley (Comp. Brit. med. Journ. 1891, II, 797). It was therefore first proposed by V. Horseley (ibid. 1890, II, 287) to make an implantation of thyroids of sheep, in cases of this disease hitherto considered incurable, by which treatment indeed Bettencourt, and Serrano (Sem. med. 1890, Aug. 13th) found immediate improvement in the patient. Later on G. R. Murray (Brit. med. Journ. 1891, II, 797) recommended instead of inoculation, subcutaneous injections of an extract prepared from the thyroid gland of a sheep, with addition of glycerin and carbolic acid. The brilliant results which Murray obtained by this caused a number of English doctors to put the treatment to a further test. Among the treatises on subcutaneous treatment with the preparation the reports of W. Beatty (Brit. med. Journ. 1892, March. 12th), E. Carter (ibid. 16. April 1892), Barron (ibid. Dec. 24th 1892), Beadles (ibid.), Hale (ibid. Dec. 31st 1892), Hunter (ibid.) are to be specially mentioned; later on E. Mendel (Deutsche med. Wochenschr. 1893, Nr. 2), R. Wichmann (Therap. Monatshefte 1893, p. 137 and Deutsch. med. Wochenschr.1893, Nr. 11) Davies (Brit. med. Journ. 11, Feb. 1893), and J. Henry (Brit. med. Journ., April 8th 1893) and Leichtenstern (Deutsche med. Wochenschr. 1893, Nr. 49 and 51) noted very good results of the treatment. On the recommendation of H. Mackenzie and E. Fox (Brit. med. Journ., 1892, Oct. 29th), Ransom (ibid. Dec. 31st 1892), Handford and Wood (ibid.), Baber (ibid. Jan. 7th 1893) J. Shapland, (ibid. April 18th 1893), H. Benson (ibid. April 15th 1893), F. Vermehren, S. Laache and Ralf Wichmann (Deutsch. med. Wochenschr.1893, Nr. 11), also O. Leichtenstern (Comp. above), E. Schotten (Muench. med. Wochenschr, 1892, Nr. 51 and 52), W. Pasteur (Rev. med. de la Suisse rom., 1894, Nr. 3). The thyroid was applied internally in the shape of an extract or in substance, either raw with a few spices, or cooked in various ways. The effect of the internal administration of the thyroid on myxoedema is favorable throughout, yet even here relapses, secondary effects, as loss of appetite, exhaustion, giddiness, acceleration of the pulse, palpitation, albuminuria etc. occasionally appear, wherefore the doses must be strictly proportioned to individual cases and special care is to be taken not to give too large a dose at once. In a case of myxoedema, in which even the weakest dose of the remedy applied internally did not agree, Blake (Semaine medicale 1894, Nr. 58) ordered the whole body to be rubbed twice a day with a 2% thyroidin-lanolin-ointment, with excellent result. Besides cases of myxoedema very good results were obtained by the application of the remedy for goitre by Burns (Deutsch. med. Wochenschr. 1894, Nr. 41), for various mental diseases by Macphail-Bence (La semaine medicale 1894, Nr: 59), for psoriasis by Byrom Bromwell (Brit. med. Journ., 1894, p. 617), A. G. Auld (ibid. 1894, 7th July) and for obesity by Leichtenstern and Wendelstadt (Deutsch, med. Wochenschr. 1894, Nr. 50). As the administration of the raw or cooked gland meets in many cases with resistance on the part of the patient, and is therefore carried out with difficulty, thyroidinum siccatum has been prepared, which contains the effective components of the thyroid in a handy shape, and agrees better. The effect of the remedy is not lessened by drying, and pills prepared with it do not deteriorate for months (comp. Nielsen). Thyroidinum siccatum may generally be given in doses of 2 - 4 grs. a day, and these may be gradually increased to the double. The remedy may also be prescribed in the shape of pills or tabloids; in the following way:
To children thyroidin is given in the shape of the above pastilles and in doses of a half up to two pastilles daily. At repeated request I have lately prepared compressed thyroidin-tabloids. These consist of finely pulverized and dried thyroidin, and are formed merely by mechanical pressure without any other binding substance. Each tabloid weights exactly 0,1 gramme (= 1 3/4 grs.); prescription accordingly:
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