PREVENTION OF GOITRE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 25 October 1927, Page 7

PREVENTION OF GOITRE.

USE OF lODISED SALT. . The following statement by tho Canterbury Division of the British Medica.l Association has boon supplied to us for publication: Tho public of Canterbury should realise that tho prevalence, of goitre in the community demands an effort on the part of everyone for its eradication. Simple goitre in itself is not a serious condition, though the 'toxic forms which may arise from it arc seriousm then- effects. More important' is tlio effect of goitre on the future well-being of the country. Unless the people listen to authoritative advice, and act upon it, it is inevitable that the same results that have occurred in fcwitaorlaiid and other goitrous counUk> will, „i the course of time, occur

Medical science has established be-flr-W""*that a n iin £nfc!" tho , tood ancl water is «ie. main factor in the causation of goitre. b ]W> , u KI ifc has bcc » "»»own th,F + \ & „ °? ?, ercus • and his colleagues that the incidence of goitre is in h/ 7L rCI T n *? ?» iof Mine jeaiedy, J ficienev T%- good this d « ! aT SSad "r f 4 Iy * "WodiJd lurnoses Lf ° rdlUar - v ™ ]t > fw all ami at tIL "" t ?'° ""ket. iodised mZhaI.,TJ"' M - bllt sufficient to ye ai " ° ° f the c * ntons for tiflott is° f h ? e , men-. safely HSVeiST TI? conference of tu K a • lae a ™ual ~o! ±leal * n Department a D prove of its on «ro d tt? ta l en f**™ *S- £ u suio that s a lt only. of the rieht strength and purity is'on the ma-g It- is important, to' remember t:hat o*zoL*\*r ent \ ih » development or goitjc. It does not necessarily cure so W -l* 1S « It may do nfU Ji goitre ahows no diminution aftei the use of-iodized salt for a period ot six. months, then tho individual concerned should seek medical

As already stated, the minute amount of iodine in iodised salt can Ue taken m safety .by everyone. Rut mdirio taken medicinally (that' is, in much larger amounts) may have serious effects in adults*who have lumpv or nodular goitres. The public are therefore warned against the unskilled and indiscriminate use of iodine, and against the use of advertised goitre cures, most or all of which contain large amounts of iodine... Persona who suffer from lumpy goitres should seek medical adlvice. It must be understood that whereas deficiency of iodine in food and water is the most important cause pf goitre, it' is' not the only cause, a-nd in a email percentage of cases iodine fails to cure simple goitre and even to prevent its occurrence. In such cases other factors in its causation have to be sought for. This point is mentioned lest criticism should in future, arise when, after the adoption of iodised salt, cases of goitre should still occur. We expect them to oocur here and there, but in the great majority of cases we can expect to find .goitre successfully prevented, provided the public whole-' j heartedly carry out their part of the programme, By doing so, they will ensure for everyone a daily amount of iodine, sufficient for the purpose we have in view. Hotels, restaurants, Boarding-houses, schools, orphanages, and all other institutions should use iodised salt for a}l purposes. , Lot the popular superstition be banished from the. mind that there is something in water, particularly in snoiv water, that, causes, goitre. .It is not the presence in water of any mysterious substance that causes ' goitre, but the absence from it and from our food of the normal proportion of iodine. The geological formation of Canterbury predisposes to the washing out from the soil of. this soluble and precious substance. Its absence from tho soil means its absenco from vegetables, which grow from the soil, and from animals which live on tables, aud from ourselves who live on tho products of both. It is probable that in the course of time legislation will be introduced which 5 will ensure that • all salt imported and sold in New Zealand must be iodised. The medical profession has urged this course upon the Government, but the necessary measures may take years to accomplish, and in the meantime the public are urged not to lose valuable time in adopting this simple and. effective safeguard against a disorder which threatens to become in time a national calamity.