Goitre

Evidence has been accumulating to establish definitely the fact that goitre is due to a deficiency of iodin in the food and water taken into the body. Dr. J. F. McClendon, Professor of Physiology in the University of Minnesota, and Joseph C. Hathaway have completed an analysis of food found in goitrous and non-goitrous regions. In regions where goitre did not prevail the iodin content of the food may be as much as 100% higher than in goitrous regions. The investigators also analyzed the water from various cities in the U. S. It was found that the water with the highest iodin content had 18,470 times as much iodin as that with the lowest content. The richest supply was that at Mexia, Tex., with 18,470, and next was Stanford, Calif., with 10,580. The poorest were at Duluth, Spokane, Rockford. This seems to answer the argument against increasing artificially the amount of iodin in the city water since people frequently go from an iodin-poor district to an iodin-rich one and never notice any change in the water or any effects on themselves. The water supplies of Rochester, N. Y., and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., are now being treated with sodium iodin.