The rickets-producing effect of dried thyroid / by Edward Mellanby.

  • Mellanby, Edward, Sir, 1884-1955
Date:
[1922?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The rickets-producing effect of dried thyroid / by Edward Mellanby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [From the Proceedings of the Physiological Society, November 18, 1922.] Journal Physiology, Vol. LVII. The rickets-producing effect of dried thyroid. By Edward Mellanby. I have shown elsewhere (Medical Research Council, Special Report Series No. 61) that thyroid gland given by mouth to puppies has no antirachitic effect when added to a rickets-producing diet, although its stimulating influence on the metabolism is great. In more recent ex¬ periments this substance has been added to diets usually of a border¬ line nature which alone caused in some cases slight rickets, in other cases no rickets. The additional dried thyroid increased the rachitic condition. In the following series the dietetic constituents common to all were separated milk powder 7 grams, meat 10 grams, bread 50-150 grams, butter 10 grams. No. of Thyroid CaH4(P04).„ Gain in Radiographic Exp. (dried) 2H20 Duration weight, gms. result (497 0-38 g. 1-0 g. 13 weeks 1600 Rickets ) (501 0 1*0 g. 13 „ 1930 Normal) f 498 0-38 g. 0 13 „ 1240 Rickets 1499 0 0 13 „ 1950 Practically normal In the following series separated milk powder 15 grams, meat 20 grams, lard 10 grams, orange juice, yeast and sodium chloride were eaten by all animals. No. of Exp. Thyroid Bread Duration Gain in weight, gms. Radiographic result (468 0 180 g. 12 weeks 3450 Slight rickets \ ' 469 0-33 to 1-32 g. 180 g. 12 „ 2080 Bad rickets j 481 0 90 g. 12 „ 1760 Practically normal 479 0-33 to 1-32 g. 90 g. 12 „ 1240 Bad rickets It will be seen that in each set of experiments the dog receiving the thyroid gland by mouth has developed the worse rickets. The potency of the thyroid in stimulating the metabolism is evident in the smaller increase in weight of animals receiving this substance. A further point of interest is that the rickets-producing effect of the thyroid appears to diminish with advancing age. In general, puppies receiving thyroid show in course of time greater curative changes than those usually seen in dogs with the same amount of rickets when there is no alteration of diet or environment.