For thousands of years animal substances of various degrees of nastiness
have been used as medicines. In fact some of the darkest chapters of
human history are those relating to this subject. Sundry cognate
superstitions are extant to this day, even among the nobility of
civilized countries. In ancient times weird ceremony and occultism lent
their charms to keep up interest in the matter; while in these
“scientific times” the influence of a great hyphenated name has
rekindled a fire which was merely flickering and which seemed to be in
danger of going out altogether.
Since Brown-Sequard made himself young again by his well known treatment
of senility great attention has been paid to the subject of animal
extracts. From every corner of the earth have come workmen—some of them
skilled workmen—to cultivate this promising field. One result of their
labor is a mass of literature which contains much that is premature,
much that is fantastic, much that is commercial; and it is difficult not
to believe that some of it is closely connected with unsoundness of
mind.
Another result is the new method of treating myxedema by the
administration of thyroid glands—raw, cooked, desiccated, or in the form
of extracts. Recently this treatment has been used in several cases with
marked success, and already the air is full of rumors. One writer said a
few months ago: “The success of this treatment is sure to create a
‘_boom_’ in animal extracts for various diseases.” He proved to be a
true prophet, and we are in the midst of this _boom_.
It may perhaps be open to question whether there was need of any more
“booms.” We have had “booms” in tuberculin, in coal-tar, in ovariotomy,
if not in common sense. Some of them are still with us, though not in
very good condition. After the boomers and the seekers after notoriety
have done their worst with animal extracts, the final accounting will
probably show some increase of positive knowledge in physiology as well
as in therapeutics.