NEW CURE FOR GOITRE

Evening Star, Issue 18808, 5 December 1924, Page 3

NEW CURE FOR GOITRE

Dr C. W. Saleeby calls attention in the ' Outlook ’ to what lie calls “ the latest glorious triumph of medical science" — that is, tho cure of goitre by iodine. “ Bright youngsters now engaged in their studies for the medical profession he says, “may care to consider the advice to devote themselves to bio-chemistry, and to think many times before they commit their future fortunes to the specialism of surgery, tho heyday of which, p’aise be. is well-nigh done.'’ Uoitro, Dr Saleeby points out. is very common in London, and tho medical other for Derbyshire has just reported that the disease—long known as “ Deroyshiie neck ’’ —is increasing alarmingly I here, and now affects, in one way or another, m> fewer than 10 per cent, of the population of that county. “When we administer iodine suitably,” be says, "goitre eases to appear among children, and large lumbers of existing cases disappear. The -or!; in Ohio and other parts of the United States, and in Switzerland, is coniusivo and triumphant. Many interesting (jucstions arise, and thc_ first and most iu'aclical is the mode of administration. A well-known Swiss professor of medicine. lias a tiny boxwood container, in which he places a crystal of iodine, to he worn, like a charm, upon a chain \round the neck; and the warmth of the skin will cause the iodine to be absorbed by it. Another method is to have a bottle,‘of the familiar tincture of iodine available for school children to sniff at H-rasionally. We may add iodine to the suit supply of a country, fn one or two Mates of "the American Union, in the socalled ‘goitre belt,’ this addition, I understand, is now compulsory, and if yon wish to use table salt free of iodine you must 1 bootleg ’ it. The Swiss method of iving a tablet of chocolate containing -1 organic iodide is best. One or two a week is the provisional dosage. Thus, for two or three shillings a. year we may reckon to iprevent goitre in any child.”