WE all know the fat fellow who begins to live the lifeof a Spartan, limiting himself to a drastic diet and yet rolls merrily along with his abnormal weight. He may be an endocrine type. The chances are that he is one of the mixed type. Most cases of long-standing alimentary-and-deficient-exercise obesity become tinged with an endocrine influence. The glandular system, overworked, becomes exhausted and a condition called pleuri-glandular deficiency results.
While the exact processes have not been definitely established by scientific standards it is generally known among all students of obesity that increasing age brings a general if imperceptible decline in the process of metabolism. By virtue of a splendidly equipped digestive system an average amount of food may produce an unusual amount of energy and fat. The individual who enjoys a robust and efficient digestive system is not to be entirely envied. His perfect digestion may imperil his well-being.
Various other factors must be considered. Infection lodged in some part of the body the teeth, tonsils, sinuses, intestines, gall bladder or appendixmay throw the endocrine interrelations out of balance. This may be very slight but sufficient to create bodily languor or torpidity and may create an abnormal food craving.
It follows, therefore, that all types of toxæmia must be treated before glandular therapy is effective. In my experience those patients who combine a detoxication cure with an obesity cure look and feel younger. Those who undertake the obesity cure alone often become wrinkled and lose weight locally where they can ill afford it.