INVESTIGATION OF GOITRE.
TESTS OP SOIL AND WATER BEING MADE.
SAMPLES FROM HOBOWHENUA AND MANAWATU DISTRICTS.
A visit was paid to the Levin District High School yesterday by* Dr. Shore, medical officer of the Health Department, in the course of an investigation which is being carried out in this and certain other districts to determine the incidence and governing factors of goitie. The area in which Dr. Shore is carrying on his research, in conjunction with the Dominion Laboratory in Wellington, extends from Paraparaumu to Palmerston North. An important part of the work is the taking of samples of soil for analysis to determine their iodine content, which is recognised as a constituent necessary for minimising the disease, as its corrective influence paisses through the tissues of vegetable growths and so. into an important part of the diet of the population. In addition, samples of the town water supplies throughout the district are, being taken for th-i same test. The object thereafter is to ascertain the correlation between the iodine resources of the territory and the condition of the children attending the schools. About three years ago an inspection was made at the schools by Dr. Baker McGlaglan, a lady medical officer of schools, from the Health Department, and the recommendation arising therefrom, which still stands, was the use of iodised salt both in cooking and on the table, for the treatment of goitre. No other recommendation haa so far been made in'this connection by .the Department. As is generally recognised, the subject is one that still calls for much research; consequently the Department's efforts involve the careful collection and consideration of a large amount of data. Good progress has been made with the present investigation, which is expected to be completed towards the end of the year. 'Several independent investigatione cf the goitre problem have taken place in New Zealand. A survey was commenced in 1920# when DiV pSteanor T)r .0, ~K ■ HPW^ff%flUP& over "12,000 school children in^Cantt>rbury and Westland and classified the condition of their thyroids according to gn arbitrary scheme of classification adopted in Europe and America. The findings showed that goitre was, fairly prevalent, even amongst children of live years. The survey was extended throughout the Dominion, and over 80,000 school children were examined. From the result it was plainly seen that there was a great variation in district incidence. Goitre is found to be most abundant on the more or less gravelly plains and river flats and along the narrower flood plains of the large rivers of this country. In 1921 a systematic study of the hypothesis that the disease is primarily 'due to iodine deficiency was commenced at OtagD University. It was found that the amount of iodine in the soil bore an almost inverse relationship to the incidence of goitie. Soils derived from the basic igneous rocks contained the most iodine, while sedimentary soib, especially if sandy or gravelly, contained least. In a general survey of' the iodine content of foodstuffs, it was shown that the foods richest in iodine weie edible seaweed, sea fish and particularly shellfish, eggs, wholemeal cereal products, leafy vegetables and milk. Refined cereal products, root vegetables, and fruits were shown to have a low iodine content. The skin of root vegetables, so constantly discarded bdfore cookifng, contains much of the iodine. The iodine content of foodstuffs grown in typical goitrous and non-goitrous districts was investigated, and it was found that the foodstuffs of non-goit-rous areas contained moi'e iodine. Previous t?sts aie understood to have revealed a high iodine content in the soil of the Horowhenua district and particularly Levin, and as might be ■expected, the incidence of goitre is correspondingly small. In commenting on this point at Monday's meeting of the Levin Schopl Committee, the Headmaster (Mr Foils) said that most or the local cases amongst children come from outside districts.
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Shannon News, 12 October 1928, Page 1
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643INVESTIGATION OF GOITRE. Shannon News, 12 October 1928, Page 1
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