GOITRE.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1924, Page 1

GOITRE.

WELLINGTON, April 3. The New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association has requested the Government to introduce rcgualntions under tho Sale of Food and Drugs Act to ensure that sufficient iodine to protect persons from endemic goitre also recommended that further research work be carried out in regard to dhe subject. Attention was drawn to tho fine work already carried out by the School Hygiene Division of the Health Department during the past three years in combating this serious disease.

Speaking on this subject to-day, the .Minister of Health, Sir Maui Poninre, said the Health Department would give all possible assistance to Professor Horens, of Dunedin, in his research work, labours which had received the encomiums of Dr W. .T. Mayo, the eminent American surgeon, during his recent visit to Xew Zealand. Dr Herons has been authorised to pursue bis will give, him all the assistance possible. It is intended to amend the pure food regulations so that there will lie made available to people coarser table salt containing the necessary small percentage of iodine. It is also possible that other steps will be taken on lines found to he practicable in the United States and other countries. The analysis of soils in different parts of the Dominion lias been going on for some time with the view ol determining localities in which there is a deficiency of iodine content. Tlie Minister said lie was present during the recent meeting of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association in Auckland, and heard the opinions expressed on the subject of the iodine treatment, of goitre. It was acknowledged liv the members of the medical association present that the work already done by the School Hygiene Division of the Health Department under Dr Ada Paterson ami the researches carried out liv Dr Horens had been of undoubted benefit in preventing the increase ol goitre. During the past three years Dr Ada Paterson and the School Medical Off 1eers had been administering small dusps of iodine to school children in districts in which goitre has been prevalent. This treatment was only given in eases where the consent of the parents of the children was first obtniil'ed. The -Minister said that experience in Switzerland, where the disease was prevalent, had proved conclusively ‘ the benefit of iodine treatment. In the United States similar results of the value of the treatment had been reported. In America the water supply of certain towns had at times iodine added, and in numbers of schools chocolate tablets containing a small quantity of iodine were administered to the children. Beneficial results had been reported in such eases. From investigations made by the Medical School inspectors it appears that goitre it somewhat prevalent in the Wairarapa and Hutt \ alley districts, also in some parts of Southland, In certain areas of Canterbury the disease is reported to be perhaps more in evidence than in other portions of the Dominion. It appears that native children have a relative immunity as compared with European children. An examination of 31,332 school children in New Zealand showed a percenatge of 6.20 suffering from goitre. In some districts the percentage is of course much higher. The medical officers state that *the incidence varies enormously in different districts.