I. THE BLOOD SUGAR IN THYROID AND OTHER ENDOCRINE DISEASES

Abstract

It is generally recognized that the thyroid and other endocrine glands exert an influence on carbohydrate metabolism, but a clear understanding of this function has not as yet been reached. Experimental studies of this subject were accordingly undertaken and are reported in this article. They demonstrate that following the abolition of thyroid function there ensues (1) hypoglycemia and (2) a tendency to delayed removal of glucose from the blood; that is, a delayed blood sugar tolerance curve. Clinical studies on hypoglycemia and the blood sugar tolerance were also made in a series of thyroid and other cases. This paper presents a detailed account of these observations which emphasize the value of blood sugar estimations in the study and diagnosis of endocrine diseases. I. Experimental Hypoglycemia and the Delayed Blood Sugar Curve. —Previous studies on the effect of thyroidectomy on carbohydrate metabolism have led to contradictory results. Falkenberg,¹Rahel Hirsch,²also