The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-01-25

west. There are certain localities
in these large districts in which the
incidence of goiter is very high.
For instance, in parts of British AL
berta and Columbia and in some
of the glacial valleys of Southern
Alaska all the domestic animals
have goiter; and in a well known
valley Of British Columbia called
Prmnrtyon Meadows, the incidence
of goiter was so great that it was
difficult to raise young animals,
such as calves, lambs, and pigs.
Since 1918, however, the disease has
been controlled by the addition of a
small amount iodin to the food and
drink in accordance with the funda-
mental principle of goiter proven
ton.
Relation of lodin to the Thyroid
Gland.
"The early Greeks unknowingly
employed iodin in the treatment Of
goiter, for they employed the ash of
burnt sea sponges, ignorant of the
fact that this substance had a rich
iodin sentiment. Iodin has been
knowingly used in the treatment of
goiter since 1920 but was so en-
ployed by Coindet. That the active
principle of the thyroid is a very
stable compound of iodin was first
recognized by Bauman in 1895 and
the compound was finally isolated
in crystalline form by Kendall in
1915. In 1895 Halstead showed
that after the removal of a portion
of the thyroid gland of a dog, the
remainder would start to enlarge.
It was later found by Marine that
if fve-sixths of a dogs thyroid was
removed and the remaining one
sixth saturated with iodin there was
no tendency toward enlargement.
The further experiments of Marine
and Lenhart show that a goiter can
not be produced in an animal if the
thyroid is kept saturated with iodin
while on the other hand, if an
animal is deprived of iodin as the
iodin content gets below one-tenth
of n per cent of the total amount
of dried gland tissue. These in
westigators showed also that when
the iodin content of the thyroid
glands in pregnant animals is de-
ficlent the young are born with
golfers; while on the other hand,
this tendency toward goiter forma-
ton in the young could be prevent
ed by maintaining a normal iodin
content in the mothers thyroid.
Marine and Lenhart demonstrated
the definite relation of the iodin
content Of the thyroid to the cellu-
lar h~yperplasia and glandu,ar hyper
trophy. Their conclusions can be
summarized as follows:
L. Iodin is necessary for normal
thyroid function.
2. The iodin content varies in
versely with the degree of Hyper
plasia.
8. The percentage of iodin pres
emit in individual thyroids is vari-
able, but there is a quite constant
minimum percentage which is nee
essary for the maintenance of nor
NAL or colloid gland structure. If
the iodin content falls below OIL.
percent, active hyperplasia begins.
"Also, iodin is necessary for the
physiological activity of the thyroid
secretion. Kendall showed that this
active iodin compound, which he
isolated in pure crystalline fom, is
trl-lodo lndolproplonlc acid. He
found also that if he substituted
either of the halogens for the iodin
in this salt he would still have a
stable chemical compound, but one
which has lost all its physiological
activity.
"The first practical application of
the use of iodin in the prevention
of goiter in fish. which was under
taken by Drs. Marine and Lenhart
in collaboration with the Pennsyl-
vania State Fish and Game Com
mission at the State Fish Hatch
cries at Shady Grove, Pa. in 1910,
the work continuing to 1911. At
this hatchery the, presence of en-
larged thyroids had become so seri-
Gus that the question of abandon
ing the industry was under consid-
Grafton. The workers found that
the condition was due to two fac
tors, o~vercrowding and overlooking
with an artificial food. They found
that by the addition of a small
amount of iodin to the food or
water the poiters disappeared. This
practical demonstration with his