J.William Hinton

Histologic studies of the thyroid gland. I

S INCE the question frequentIy arises as to what constitutes normaI and abnorma1 thyroid tissue, we have obtained for study sections from peopIe whose deaths were due to accidenta causes. These patients vary in age from stiII-births to eighty-nine years. As a means of comparison there are aIso sections from peopIe who died from acute and chronic diseases. This work began in ApriI, 1929, and through the courtesy of Dr. CharIes Norris, Chief MedicaI Examiner of New York; Dr. DougIas Symmers, Director of Laboratories, BeIIevue HospitaI, and the House Staff of the Fourth SurgicaI Division, we were abIe to obtain the materia1. containing cohoid. There is aIso connective tissue dividing the gIand into IobuIes, as we11 as interacina1 connective tissue. In a recent editoriaI2 the author states, “The norma gIand contains a reIativeIy Iarge proportion of smaI1 foIIicIes, but these contain cohoid. Undifferentiated foIIicIes or interfoIIicuIar ceI1 groups Iike those described by WoIfert were not observed in seria1 sections of either the norma or hyperpIastic organ. ” The picture presented by Piers01 and the opinion expressed in the recent editoria1 seem to coincide.