THE INCIDENCE OF GOITRE.

Shannon News, 7 October 1924, Page 2

THE INCIDENCE OF GOITRE.

ns relation to the chemistry OF. THE SOIL. LEVIN’S UNIQUE SPGSITKhN. One of the most pressing medical problems of recent years nas neen the prevalence in. certain areas of the glandular disease. known as goitre. In some districts the frequency of the condition has been alarming and has engaged the attention of the Dominions leading scientific men. I n * i vestigations have shown that a hign 1 incidence Qf goitre amongst a popn--1 latio.n ’ is usually associated • with a , deficiency im - the. iodine content or the soil, and further tnat the abnorI mal condition can be prevented, ameliorated or oared in me great majority pi cases by the use of iodine. The addition of the necessary proportion of this element to the drinking-water or table salt in affected" districts has been recommended as a means of counterTacting the chemical deficiency in the soil and thus of its products. The investigation of the problem throughout New Zealand has led to tile discovery that the jHorowhenua district —and more particularly Levin —is practically tree from goitrous conditions among its residents, and it stands out in notable relief m thi? respect from ' some less-favoured parts of the Dominion. FROM THE GEOLOGISTS’ VIEWPOINT.

As was recently recorded in the Chronicle, Professor W. ;>• Brown, Professor of Geology at the Otago, University, wrote to Mr G,. L. Adkm, of Queen street, asking tor samples of soil from the Levin district for lhe purpose of analysis as to its iodine content. Professor Benson has been making inquiries into the relation of goitre to the iodine content ol' me soil as part Qi the general investigation undertaken in New Zealand. Professor Benson mentioned that the only samples of local soils available at the University were two. taken from the Boys’ Training Farm, and from the neighbourhood of Shannon, and that both of these showed an unusually high percentage of iodine. Mr Adkin, whose researches into, the geology of this , coast have constituted him an acknowledged authority on the subject, forwarued the samples as asked for, taking these oyer a wide variety ot soUs and localities, from Ohau to the north of Ihakara. . He has now received the following acknowledgment from professor Benson: , - "I thank you for your kindness m forwarding the five samples of soil from- the neighbourhood of Levin. They have yielded figures consistently high, and thoroughly confirm, the previous figures that we had from the region. “I am as yet in a difficulty as to the interpretation of the results, for I cannot understand why they should be so high. Can you tell me whether most of your rain comes from the north-west? Whether there is a dominant wmd from that direction which might conceivably blo.w a good deal of dried sea-salts from" spray on to / the land?. Ife the water supply to the fields >and pastures, chiefly rainwater, , or is artesian water the chief- supply for cattle? Also what is the water supply ol Levin, and do the Xarxners rely for household • supplies on rainwater tanks or wells chiefly?. “One thing is that there is such a good supply of iodine in the soils that goitre should be fairly uncommon, if the results. Qf our studies m other regions hold (here.- I have not .got" the school medical officer’s figures for this region yet, and shall be much interested in them.” THE MEDICAL SIDE.' The possibilities indicated by Prolessor Benson’s statement appeared so striking that a “Chronicle” representative though it worth while . to make some enquiries on the medical side of the question. He therefore interviewed 'Dr. Helen Bakewell, tn° Educational Department’s School Medical Officer, who has been examining the children throughout the district And this week has been engaged at the Levin District High School. Dr. Bakewell’s figures are impressive and fully bear out Professor Benson’s expectations. Of the 450 children examined at the school, less than 3 per cent, are 'affected with goitre and in practically every instance these children have recently come from other and leas favourably situated localities. The actual number *of children affected is fourteen and when it is understood that in the Wairarapa district the (figure is 30 pei cent., in the Hutt Valley 25£ per cent, and in Christchurch 41 per cent, the fortunate position locally becomes apparent.. Whilst the whole of the Manawatu has an unusually low percentage of cases, Dr. Bakewell stated, Levin had given the best results of all- - . In practically* every instance, our representative Was assured, incipient cases should benefit by change to this district, and a complete cure should result. Amongst adults, where the trouble is more advanced, an improvement would probably result, although a complete cure would be more doubtful. The importance of this .immunity from goitre which the Levin distric* eniovs will be - more apparent when . it is understood, as was pointed out bv Dr Bakewell, that the presence of goitre has a definite effect on the mentality of the child, resulting in dullness'and an inability to concern . trate on study. The health and educational authorities are taking active steps in affected districts to oope with these conditions, and where they are prevalent, iodine is administered to the school children, in the form of tablets, one grain of iodine potassium being given weekly. How fortunate Levin is in its immunity from the disease, cannot be Overestimated, and still another advantage is thus added to the recommendations of this favoured district.