Evening star., 1948-08-20
SfoFs, Men and Atoms -
Mans Dependence on Iodine
Experiments Conducted With Radioactive Tracers Show
Importance of Element to Life Processes
By Thomas r. Henry

results in treatment Of exothalmic goter and
some value in selected cases Of other thyroid
ailments. Special studies were made of the
behavior Of iodine In the body. 1t Is absorbed
from the stomach at q rate Of from three
to six per cent Of any given amount per min
ute. In normal individuals the greater part
Is excreted at once, most Of the remainder 60
ing to the thyroid. The overactive thyroid
tends to draw more than the normal In
these tests hitherto unsuspected incidental
value was found The rate of iodine ex-
cretion Is an accurate measure of the func-
tioning of the kidneys-possibly a valuable
aide in diagnsois of kidney ailments
The Mayo Clinic doctors stress the fact that
there are two factors involved in the clinical
use OF radioactive iodine for thyroid dis
orders. and they may not have much direct re-
lationship to each other. First is the ability
Of the gland to take up iodine from the blood,
Second is the ability to synthesize 1t into thy
roxin once it has been acquired.
At the University of Minnesota treatment
of toxic goiter with l3l was found "promis.
ing" The doctors here also reported that
they had had good results in tracing the
spread Of thyroid cancer.
At the Montfiore Hospital in New York 81
cases of metastasized thyroid cancer have been
studied. In only 1S per cent of these was there
any absorption Of the radioactive isotope Ten
patients actually were treated. Four seemed
to improve. Three died. One got worse Two
were lnSuthciently treated for any reliable
judgment. The isotope was used in treatment
OF IA cases OF hyperthyroidism. In four of these
the results were excellent. Five seemed to show
some Improvement Five other results were
questionable.
Effects on Toxic Goiter.
At the University of Nebraska however I 1871
was found as good as surgery In the treatment
of toxic goiter. 1t was found Of some value In
thyroid cancer II combined with radiation and
surgery Also at the University OF Rochester
the isotope was found extremely useful In
treatment OF patients suffering. from both
malign and malignant thyroid disease"
At the Cedars of Lebanon Research Institute
in Los Angeles an extensive series of expert.
ments was designed to test whether radioac-
tive iodine, radioactive phosphorus, or a combi-
nation Of them. had any selective killing action
against bacteria as compared with normal body
cells. At first this seemed to be the case, but
more carefully controlled experiments nullifed
the early results.
AS tracer. however, radioactive Iodine is
yielding results Of the utmost value. 1t is not
unlikely that all the therapeutic effects will be
far overshadowed in the history Of medicine by
one discovery reported from New York Uni
versity's College Of Medicine.
Every cell in the body of every plant or
animal consists of a nucleus surrounded by
substance known as cytoplasm. The nucleus
is concerned with cell reproducton-that Is,
with the growth and repair of the body. Promi-
nent In this nucleus are two extremely complex
bio-chemical substances known as nucleic acids.
The New York University investigators, using
radioiodine as q tracer, found third which Is
more fundamental and from which the other
two are derived.
Cancer is primarily . problem Of uncon-
trolled cell reproduction. 1t seems likely that
this discovery goes much further towards the
roots Of the cancer problem than any thera-
peutic effects obtained with radioiodine
In the Parke, Davis Co. laboratories in De-
troit the isotope was used as = tracer to de-
termine the efficacy and safety of q number
OF drugs which inhibited over-active thyroids.
1t was found possible to release these drugs TO
the public far sooner than otherwise would
have been the case
tThs 10th and concluding article Of this series
Will appear in this space next Mondsy)