GOITRE: A DISCOVERY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 147, 23 June 1945, Page 4

GOITRE: A DISCOVERY

THE Otago* Medical School, -and the Medical Research Council, are ". ■*• deserving of the highest congratulation on the report, published this -- week,, of-their, successful development of a n6n?surgicar : treatment for toxic goitre, upon which "enthusiastic reportsitliave been f ronx * many parts ,of world." This research, whicjtl'twas pioneered at plago';• University, and has been proceeding for ten years, sliouM bring world fame to those-who originated the basic idea, and to those who were responsible for developing the treatment, and New Zealaiid jnay be proud,; of the institution, from which this, discovery ctfniesV 5 , 1 While congratulating the "Medical School with enthusiasm, however, New ZealahdersVwill also •• note,and reflect.upon an addendum, to the published report;;dealing with the subject of simple or non-toxic goitre. The; repori: notes that "import, control had diminished the proportion of iodised; Salt used" in New. ZealancL Modern, research suggests, that while -many factors•: play " important roles in the causation of goitre these factors ,in general are, effective in'the human being only when the iodine intake islowJ. It has "been, said by a high authority that by the addition of the'"requisite amount of iodine: to the "domestic salt of this country simple" goitre would practically; in a generation. \'r- -.•■•■■..

Sincer 1935 (and indeed even befdre) medical opinion has urged upon the Government:' ithat salt adequately iodised should be specified as standard in-New Zealand. The Health Department, in its current advertising campaign for better health, urge's, upon the public the use of iodised 5a1,L..; No [regulation, however, has been gazetted to bring the change about, while it now • appears that import control is actually preventing the public from following the"Health Department's advice. Many hundreds of regulations /are gazetted each year, many; of them dealing-with matters seemingly less important than this. If one more, prohibiting the saleof non-iodised salt for domestic use, could by a stroke of the-pen remove simple goitre from this country "in a generation," there would appear to be a case , for it. At least, import control should not be. allowed to-bring about a contrary result.