Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-11-08
The COUNTY NURSE DEPT.
PALMA II. GRAIN, County Nurse

-. NAA<A4~-St Noansy AsukHc
The following article is copied as
written III The Crusader, magazine
published by the Wisconsin Anti Tu-
berculosis Association. This article
is written in the May number, 1922.
Copies of this magazine may be had
by writing to this organization at 55S
Jefferson St, Milwaukee.
Let's Make War on Goiter
By simple goiter" is meant an en-
largement of the thyroid gland, which
is located In the lower part of the
front of the neck. This gland resem-
bles somewhat the shape of butter
fly in that it consists of two broad
wings, one on either side Of the neck,
with a small narrow portion connect
ing the wings.
The function of the thyroid gland is
to change the iodine taken into the
body in food, into a form in which it
can be used by the body. Ioline is
necessary to the normal development
of the body and its absence or marked
deficiency in the growing child re-
suits IN serious physical and mental
deformities.
Simple goiter is found in all parts
OF the united States, but is much more
common In certain districts than in
others. During the draft examina-
tons more men from Oregon and
Washington were rejected because of
golter than from any other states.
The increase in goiter has been par
ticularly marked in that district since
some of its larger cities began to take
their water supply from the Cascade
Mountains. Another region in which
goiter is very common is that COM
prlsing the states bordering on the
Great Lakes. That goiter is yery
common in Wisconsin must be appar-
ent to every one. In some of the free
cnest clinics conducted by the Wiscon-
sn-Anti- tuberculosis Association, as
hlgh as from 35 to 40 per cent of the
people examined showed some enlarge
ment of the thyroid gland. This en-
largement, while fairly common in
children and also present at times in
older people, is most frequently seen
IN young rils ranging in ages from
sixteen to twenty-five years.
The cause of goiter is not known.
intensive studies of this problem have
led to the conclusion that the Thyroid
gland IS enlarged in these cases be-
cause, for some reason at present I'M
known. the body shows lack of 10
dine. In order to make up this de-
ficiency, fciency the thyroid gland
must work overtime, with the result
that the gland becomes enlarged.
While simple goiter can hardly be
regarded as a dangerous disease, the
fact that its presence causes an I'M
signify deformity in so large group
OF individuals should be sufficient to
demand the attention of all interested
IN public health matters. Furthermore
IN view of the knowledge that the
presence OF goiter means disorder
ed human machine, it is but logical
70 suppose that the same disorder
!iack of iodine) may be responsible
Tor other conditions which have not
yet been recognized as being due to
the same cause. AS a matter Of the
tact, certain forms of mental and ply
steal degeneration, such as cretinism
ttdwarfism) and idiocy, are known to
De due TO marked lack of iodine IN
the body.
Curative Treatment
When a goiter has once developed
sufficiently to become apparent, treat
ment Is a very slow and prolonged
procedure. This is in all probability
due to the fact that there has been q
lack Of iodine for long time before
the enlargement of the Thyroid gland
made itself manifest. To bring this
back to its normal state, By the ad-
mlnistratien Of some forms of iodine,
VIII necessarily take a corresponding
long time. That the goiter can be de-