DANGERS OF lODINE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1927, Page 4

DANGERS OF lODINE

DEPARTMENT’S WA LINING. WELLINGTON. July 17. The expected regulations concerning tlie sale of goitre remedies have been issued. Since tlie public lias learned of iodine treatment, the authorities say. there has been an alarming increase in tli number of cases of exophthalmic goitre, a most serious disease, and these regulations are tlie outcome of this increase.

Eevery bottle of goitre remedy must hear a statement of its active ingredients, and also a prominent warning that the remedy should not he taken save under the advice ot a medical man. The deputy-Director-General ot Health, Dr M. H. Watt, said last week: “The public has seized upon tlie fact that goitre is due to the lack of iodine. It has failed, however, to appreciate the equally important fact that, while a small amount of iodine is necessary for the proper iauctioning of the thyroid gland. huge amounts cannot be taken without setious risk. A goitrous patient who takes such quantifies, save under close medical supervision, is running a grave chance of developing exophthalmic goitre, a very serious, and at times, fatal, form of the disease. “The increased prevalence of this form of goitre in New Zealand in the past few years would appear to show that sufferers have been dosing themselves indiscriminately with prop].lctnry patent medicines containing, iodine in relatively large proportions. It is in order to impress upon tlie- public the dangers of self-medication. u"d to safeguard them as far as possible j against these dangers, that the regulations have been trained. lODISED SALT HARMLESS. Dr Watt said iodised salt, on the contrary, constituted a method by which any necessary addition ol iodine I could he taken without risk. In this the proportion of potassium iodine was one part, to 250.000 part, of sail, and it could safely be used for all household purposes. including table cookery. “There is evidence in Europe. Aiticr. icu and New Zealand,” said Dr Matt, “that such salt, while most potent m i the prevention of goitre, is at the I same time entirely free from danger. ! lts primary purpose is to prevent I goitre from appearing. It is not, a 1 euro for goitre where it has already I developed, although cases have oceur--1 red where goitre lias been lessened in size, or even disappeared through I the use of salt. In order to popularise 'its use the Department has decided 'to allow it to be used in bread-mak-ing.”