IODINE IN SALT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19126, 18 September 1925, Page 7

IODINE IN SALT.

Sir,-—May I say that the official explanation in Tuesday's issue of the difficulties in the way of iodising table salt does not carry conviction ? Tho man in the street argues—with, let us agree, pardonably exaggeration—"New Zoalnnd is rotten with goitre. Goitre is due to lack of iodine. Therefore, New Zealand iood needs iodising." The official says:"Every part of New Zealand is within reach of the soa. The sea contains iodine and spreads it on the land. Therefore, there is no need to artificially introduce iodine." From which it would also follow that thero is no goitre! Again,, some people cannot take iodine with impunity. The same might bB said of almost any article of diet. I have known different people whose systems were (supposed to be) constitutionally intolerant of bread, meat, potatoes, eggs, sugar and tea, to name a few, But sodium chloride, free from iodine, can always bo procured ; only it is- suggested that its sale as table salt should be prohibited. Again, is it not a fact that the exact dose does not matter, and could not be accurately gauged for every case if it did ?—that the necessary dose is so minute in comparison with the harmful dose, that there is room tot a wide margin of error? I think lam tight in saying also that natural salt deposits contain iodine, so that the theory thai the iodine might be dissolved oat of tho salt by atmospheric damp is rather discounted. I take it that our error is really not one of omission, but of commission—we have made it a pracitico to out of our salt a highly' necessary ingredient, jnst as we have done also with our white flour, polished rice and refined sugar. The craze for excessive of food appears to bo a form of collective self-indulgence which, as usual, brings its own penalties. The civilised wbrld might well adopt the slogan, "Refine your hearts and not your victuals." L, 8. RmwreLt,.