Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-09-20
PROBLEM on SIMPLE GoITRE

ease is the proper education of the
people as a whole. 1t is not suffi-
cient for physicians alone to know
the great danger Of the unchecked
chronic disease like tuberculosis,
progress for months or years Of any
humorous growths or goiter. If pro-
gress toward prevention is to be
made, everybody must know what to
do and why to do it.
Every problem in preventive medi-
cine has been developed by grad
ual process of evolution, and the pre-
vention Of goiter is no exception to
this rule Considering the thousands
Of years during which goiter has
troubled the human race, the devel-
opment of a method of prevention
has been slow indeed; but as compar-
ed with the accomplishments of the
comparatively new science, biological
chemistry, this development has been
very rapid and direct; and no princi-
pie in preventive medicine has a firm
er physiologic and chemical founda-
ton than that which underlies the
prevention Of goiter.
Simple or endemic goiter is one of
| the most insiduous diseases which
attacks man and animals. The sum
| total of its ravages thru out all ages
and in all lands is still unrealized by
the publics generally, notwithstand~
ing the numerous reports issued by
commissions appointed for its study.
I Those who live by the sea coasts for
tunately have had no need to be con-
cerned; and before the days of extern
sive travel those who lived in endemic
goiter districts grew SO accustomed
to the presence of goiter that they
consider it natural and many dis
tricts Of the world, goiter is still
considered mark of beauty.
1t has been known for many years
that West Virginia lies within what
is known as one Of the goitrous belts.
However, the incidence Of goiter a
mong our people was not ascertained
until 1913 when DR.. Clark Of the U.
S. Public Health Service made
study of 1885 school children and
found 1924 cases of goiter, namely
nine percent. At that time it was as
certained that one half of the school
girls in Huntington were affected
! with simple goiter.
Again during 1Y17-1918 when our
young men were in camp, it was
found that the goiter among them
was 7.89 per thousand During the
| past two years the health department
and school boards have interested
themselves in this question and it has
been determined that the school girls
are effected as follows in the respect
i've places:
Webster Springs ............. $40
| Charleston 500
Grafton $3.50
huntington 5UTo
Cause.
1t has been found that simple goi-
ter is deficiency disease due to
lack of iodine in water or food or
both, and that whenever the iodine
content of the thyroid gland, which
is the reservoir for iodine, falls below
one tenth of one percent, the thyroid
gland will enlarge.
Prevention
Simple goitre is the easiest known
disease to prevent To prevent SIM
pie goitre it is only necessary to
maintain the iodine content sof the
thyroid gland above one tenth Of one
per cent at all times, particularly at
such times when an unusual demand
is made on the thyroid gland for 10
dine, during adolescence and during
pregnacy. Every girl in West Vir-
ginia should keep her thyroid satur-
ated with iodine, between the agles Of
eleven and sixteen inclusive. This
simple method Of goilre preven-
ton is being carried out in various
parts Of West Virginia in cooperation
with the respective school boards, It
consists of giving each girl between
the ages Of II and 16 years inclusive,
one milk chocolate tablet containing
one sixth of a grain Of iodine in
tasteless form, each Monday during
the school year. This small amount
of iodine will absolutely prevent all
simple goitres and will cause exist
ing goitres to disappear in more than
500 per cent Of the cases.
Treatment
Persons presenting simple goitre
should take one chocolate tablet con-
tain 10 milligrams of iodine, which
is one-sixth of grain of iodine, each
day for Is days. At the expiration
of this period discontinue the treat
ment for Is days, then repeat two,
daily administration Of iodine for an
other Is days. Following this one
tablet should be taken twice waek