ENDOCRINE DISORDERS AND THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM: GLANDS WITH INTERNAL SECRETIONS
Apart from the genital glands and the pancreas which have been described elsewhere, the following glands belong to the endocrine system:
i. Pituitary
ii. Pineal
iii. Thyroid
iv. Parathyroid
v. Thymus
vi. Suprarenal
i. Pituitary: which lies in the sella turcica, is recognisable by iris changes in the brain sector, locally as follows—right iris 60-2′, left iris 58-60′—in the muscle zone.
There are no muscles in the brain, so the skeletal zone representing the base of the skull reaches as far as the blood zone. Thus, for example, in a case of fracture of the base of the skull the signs of damage are observed in the blood zone, here lying closer in towards the iris-wreath than would be the case with skeletal injuries of other parts. The bones of the cranial vault are represented in the skin zone.
The recognition of a disturbance of the pituitary is of greatest importance, since the pituitary is the regulator of all the remaining organs of internal secretion.
The disease-signs are shown as follows:
Lightening—as sign of over-activity, very often with a similar lightening in the areas for the corresponding sexual organs.
Pituitary tumours show clearly as dark tumour-signs extending width wise, as is characteristic of tumours of other organs.
In the iris, the pituitary area lies opposite the suprarenal area, indicating the close connection between these two organs. When one of these glands is shown in the iris, indicating abnormal disturbance, then one considers the possibilities of cure. If both organs are registered then the slightest condition must be attended to.
ii. Epiphysis (pineal): according to many other authors, the gland has its place in the iris according to the indication made on the topographical chart. I can give no iris sign for
disturbance of this gland.
iii. Thyroid gland: shows in the right iris at approx. 14′-17′ and left iris 43′-46′ in the sixth minor zone. In the case of hyperfunction, a lightening of the area appears. A thyroid hypofunction is recognised by a darkening of the area.
Clinically, there is more or less a definite picture of myxoedema with hypofunction, which in its lighter forms is more widely distributed than is generally diagnosed. In thyroid disturbance the heart can register in sympathy, and the heart area must be thoroughly scrutinised. In most cases one finds lacunae, eventually in association with white lines. Therefore, appropriate cardiac medicinal support should not be omitted. A close connection also exists between the thyroid and the abdomen (Premenstrual syndrome).
iv. Parathyroid glands: as is well known, the parathyroid glands lie behind, or near to the thyroid glands, and so we also find the iris signs in the thyroid gland areas, rather nearer to the iris-wreath. The signs are very difficult to recognise. With these organs one rather relies upon the clinical symptoms of tetany: von Recklinghausens disease, and also the significance of the contraction-rings in the iris.
v. Thymus gland: the thymus gland shows its sign in the following areas—right iris 43′ approx., left iris 17′ approx.—in the fourth and fifth minor zones. In the same place, though rather more peripherally (fifth minor zone) lies the mammary gland position. One may easily
distinguish these two signs since the mammary gland itself only develops fully when the thymus has atrophied.
vi. Suprarenal glands: these glands, whose functions have only in recent times been fully investigated, have their areas next to the kidney areas directly adjacent to the iris-wreath—right iris 30′-32′ approx., left iris 28′-30′ approx. If the suprarenal areas are lighter, then the indication is one of over-activity. We find these signs in rheumatic conditions together with an overlay in the entire muscle zone of whitish to yellowish clouds.
A dark weakness-sign (lacuna) in the suprarenal area indicates a suprarenal insufficiency. If these conditions have already occurred, one also finds besides the suprarenal sign, a lacuna in the heart area and a large dilatation of the iris-wreath.
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General Health
THE MIND’S RESPONSE TO ANXIETY
When more messages are arriving than the brain can properly handle, we have anxiety. Our mental apparatus becomes keyed up in an effort to cope with the situation. There is an increase of available mental energy, and this mobilized energy of the mind provides the force which produces all the various psychological symptoms of anxiety.
In its mobilized state, the mind becomes very alert, too alert, so that all the time it- seems to be searching for the cause of its own disquiet. There develops a pathological over-alertness, and as a result the mind reacts to very minor stimuli which would not normally produce any response at all. Thus a noise which would normally go unheeded causes the anxious person to start. Then he feels irritated and upset in the knowledge that he has overreacted to a matter of little consequence, and his inner tension is further increased.
This over-alertness shows itself in many ways. The individual is on the lookout all the time. He is fidgety and cannot let himself go off guard. He cannot rest because his mind keeps him alert even when there is no need for it. It becomes hard to sit and watch television without getting up from the chair to relieve the tension within him. To relax and sit still becomes a near impossibility because all the time he is plagued with this distressing over-alertness of the mind.
We see, then, that this over-alertness is a natural result of anxiety. Sometimes, however, another type of reaction takes place so that the anxious individual is in no way over-alert, but on the contrary appears to be dulled and apathetic. This reaction may occur when the individual is confronted with overwhelming disaster on either a national or a personal scale. He is struck dumb. He is in a daze, unable to think or to move. Even when some purposeful action on his part would minimize the disaster, he still does nothing. This is a common reaction in times of war, particularly in the civilian population. It is seen in personal calamity as when an individual suddenly sees his home burned or his family killed in a road accident. This reaction is so
completely different from the primary response to anxiety by over-alertness that it requires some explanation. It comes about by the overactivity of the self-regulatory mechanisms of the body. There is a surge of anxiety with its accompanying over-alertness, but if this were too great the body would be overwhelmed and unable to respond effectively. To prevent this, the
self-regulatory mechanisms come into play and inhibit the anxiety reaction. It is thus the overreaction of the inhibiting mechanism that causes the individual to be dulled, apathetic, and unable to take effective action.
The same reaction may occur in less dramatic form. The student when confronted with an important examination usually reacts to his, anxiety by being so keyed up from over-alertness that the mind is flooded with too many thoughts that are often not well related to the problem on hand. In such circumstances it is not uncommon for the opposite reaction to occur. His mind goes blank, and try as he will, relevant thoughts to the problem simply will not come. We can now understand this paradoxical reaction to anxiety as due to the overactivity of the inhibiting mechanism. In a mild chronic form, over-inhibited anxiety may make the individual tired, listless, dull, apathetic, and unable to get going in his ordinary daily tasks. Because of his lack of initiative in doing things, such a patient often complains of depression. Furthermore he may say that he feels guilty because of his inability to work; but this reaction of inhibited anxiety is distinguished from true depression in that there is no real moral self-accusation as when the conscience is offended.
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Anti Depressants
