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Diseases of Ductless Glands--Signs in Iris Over stimulation of the thyroid gland frequently occurs through toxins produced by some septic disease, but in such cases the increased secretions from the gland may be needed to neutralize the toxic materials generated by the inflammatory processes; in other words, the hyperactivity of the thyroid is protective and will diminish as the disease subsides. Irritation and over stimulation of the gland may also be caused through spinal lesions. Luxated bones, strained muscles or ligaments may irritate the nerves which supply the thyroid and thus cause hyperactivity of the organ. We have cured many soft goiters by removing such mechanical irritation by neurotherapy treatment.
Exophthalmic Goiter or Grave's Disease This is an aggravated form of goiter, accompanied by increased rate of heartbeat, muscular tremors, etc. It derives its name from a characteristic symptom--protrusion of the eyeballs. This as well as the peculiar stare which it produces is caused by excessive nerve and blood pressure from within. The disease is more common in women between the ages of fifteen and thirty, and in men between thirty and fortyfive. Nervous shock, grief, fright and over taxation of the nerves are exciting and contributing causes. The pulse beat is sometimes as high as 200 per minute. The patient is very often anemic, the heart becomes hyper-trophied as a result of its rapid and violent action, which is very often followed by dilatation, inducing leakage through improper closing of the valves. Palpitation of the heart is a frequent symptom, as also is the staring look caused by the protrusion of the eyeballs, which may be accompanied by other ocular disturbances, such as paralysis of the lids, or paralysis of one or more of the nerves controlling action of the eyeballs. The thyroid gland itself is moderately enlarged at first and rather soft and elastic, but it becomes harder and firmer as a result of the proliferation of connective tissue. Muscular tremor is common and may affect the whole body or only the limbs. Other symptoms may be present, such as digestive disturbances, kidney involvement inducing excessive formation of urine or showing the presence of sugar or albumin in the urine, occasional fever, skin eruptions, mental depression, melancholia or mania. In all cases of goiter we find that the urine contains excessive amounts of indican, skatol, indol and phenol, and other forms of ptomains and leukomains created through putrefactive changes in the intestines and other parts of the body. This indicates the source of the trouble, namely, excessive production of poisonous acids and alkaloids of putrefaction resulting from unbalanced diet and defective elimination through clogging and atrophy of the skin, bowels and kidneys. Pathogenic materials and drug poisons over stimulate the thyroid and other ductless glands. Continued hyperactivity and increase of secretions from the thyroid and adrenals not only results in excessive oxidation of protein food materials, but also in destruction of fleshy tissues of the body. This, in turn, increases nitrogenous waste and alkaloids of putrefaction, and these will cause complete prostration and death unless the destructive processes are arrested. The toxic condition of the system and increase of thyroid secretion over , stimulates the nervous system and heart action, causing high frequency of pulse. Treatment.--The individual should be treated upon the appearance of the first symptoms. The increased function of the thyroid gland in this disease may be caused by insufficiency of the internal secretions on the part of the suprarenals, ovaries, testes or pituitary gland. Consequently it requires general treatment for the purpose of toning up the entire body. The cardiac symptoms, when they are severe, can be relieved by careful manipulative treatment of the spine. Fresh air, moderate exercise and rest, are required to make a good recovery. No attempt should be made to suppress the activity of the thyroid gland itself by painting with iodin or by the use of ice bags, X-ray or other powerful suppressive agents. The diet at first should be directed toward increasing elimination and consequently should consist largely of fruits and vegetables, and later may be extended to include a moderate amount of protein (grains, nuts, milk and, occasionally, eggs). Massage and Swedish movements must make the organs of elimination more active and alive. The spinal lesions must be corrected through neurotherapy treatment; open air exercise, sun and air baths, constructive attitude of mind and soul, all must combine to produce normal conditions, physically and mentally. As this is being accomplished, the thyroid gland as well as all other organs in the body will gradually become normal in structure and function. Allopathic Treatment Allopathy, in accordance with its general trend of theory and practice, attributes these diseases of the thyroid gland to infection from other foci of inflammation, such as diseased tonsils, adenoids, abscesses in the teeth, ovaries or other parts of the body. The "Handbook of Therapy", edited by the American Medical Association, says under "Hyper-Thyroidism": "The etiology of hyper-thyroidism is not yet determined. . . . There are numerous reports in the literature of cases of hyper-thyroidism (goiter) following acute or chronic infections such as tonsilitis, sinusitis, arthritis and salpingitis. These facts make it seem likely that the disease is due to metastatic infection of the thyroid gland." (Infection through transmission from some other foci of inflammation.) ". . . The treatment of hyper-thyroidism is based on two main factors: First, alleviation of symptoms; and second, removal of the foci of infection which may be responsible." This means, of course, that the symptoms--nature's healing efforts--must be suppressed, and the foci of infection in other parts of the body must be removed through suppressive antiseptic, germicidal or surgical treatment. Natural living and treatment will remove the foci of infection in the teeth, tonsils, ovaries, appendix, or wherever they may exist, in exactly the same rational and efficient manner in which it cures all other ailments of the body. Bromids and coal tar poisons for the excited brain and nerves, cathartics for the sluggish bowels, and paralyzing sedatives for the rapid heart may be good "symptomatic" treatment, but they do not touch the underlying causes of the trouble. More destructive than the symptomatic drug and serum treatments are the more radical iodin, surgical and Roentgen Ray treatments. These are positively destructive in their effects upon the system. We have learned from our study of iodin in Chapter XIV that this poison atrophies glandular structures all through the body. This explains the action of the poison in the treatment of goiter. Painted on the throat, it is absorbed and atrophies the glandular structures of the thyroid. Iridiagnosis proves, however, that the poison applied to the throat usually locates in other parts or organs,--a lucky thing for the thyroid. Fig. 31 illustrates this fact. It shows the iodin in the lower back and chest as well as in the thyroid. Understanding the importance of this little organ in the vital functions, what a dangerous procedure this is. As already stated, the iodin absorbed into the circulation may affect other organs or glandular structure in the system such as mammary glands, the adrenals, ovaries, testes, etc., and destroy their functions. Later on, the red spots of iodin clearly reveal in the iris of the eye where the poison has accumulated in the body. In my own case, as I have related elsewhere in this volume, the iodin rubbed into my throat in order to reduce enlarged lymphatic glands happened to concentrate in liver and kidneys, thus laying the foundation for chronic disease of these organs. Incidentally, it was the iodin poisoning that helped to bring me into this work. Surgery for Goiter The surgical treatment consists in snipping off parts of the enlarged organ, I suppose with the idea of reducing its hyperactivity. I can find only one fitting adjective for describing such unnatural treatment, and that is the word "criminal". Such wilful destruction can never be compensated. If total extirpation of the organ is surely followed by death within a few days, why destroy part of it? We know positively that natural living and treatment will restore the little organ to a normal condition (if destruction has not too far advanced), but it cannot restore that which has been destroyed by the surgeon's knife. I have had occasion to observe a number of cases that had been operated on and all of them developed, sooner or later, serious chronic constitutional diseases. Some drifted into tuberculosis, others developed malignant tumors or died from malassimilation and malnutrition, still others developed serious nervous conditions, several became insane. Several years ago a patient of mine tried to induce a friend to have natural treatment for exophthalmic goiter instead of submitting to an operation. But the patient and her friends had more confidence in their "great specialist" than in Nature Cure. The ends of the thyroid were snipped off and within twenty-four hours afterward the lady was completely paralyzed on one side. Death ended her sufferings about two years after the operation.
Thyroid Deficiency The opposite of the conditions described under hyper-thyroidism we find in cases where for some reason or another the thyroid gland fails to produce a sufficiency of secretions. Where this condition is caused by defective development of the gland from birth, it results in cretinism. This word is derived from the French word "cretin", meaning "dwarf". Cretinism therefore signifies backward development both physically and mentally.
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