Show I State Board of He Health Takes Issue With Goiter Remarks Editor Telegram Telegram Believing Believing that The Telegram would not intentionally intentionally intentionally intention intention- ally injure the public health Interests interests interests inter Inter- ests of ot the state and that the editorial editorial edi edi- tonal of February 3 referring to the goiter question was based on a misapprehension of the tho truo facts I trust that you will publish the following statement It will noted be-noted by carefully readIng reading read- read Ing lag the statement issued by a Dr Sloan to which reference is made mado in the editorial as having blasted the theory that goiter is attributable In a large measure to the lack of Iodine in the system of ot the patient that he did not refer to endemic goiter On the contrary he specifically specifically specifically stated that Endemic goIter goiter goiter goi goI- ter is due clue to a y of iodine Th That t there are other minor causes of goiter Is not a new discovery and is Js not dl disputed but the Important important important im Im- im- im fact is that at least 95 05 per percent percent percent cent of all cases where goiter Is prevalent V are are ar endemic meanIng endemic meaning that the they are due to local or en environmental environmental environmental en- en conditions in which which there Is a deficiency of iodine in the soil soU or water supply of ot the area Tho The effort of nature to make good this deficiency causes an enlargement enlargement enlargement enlarge enlarge- ment of the thyroid gland known as goiter It has been demonstrated in all parts of tho the world where during the past few years measures measures' have been adopted for tor the prevention of goiter by the use of ot small quantities quantities quantities ties of Iodine that that- goiter was thereby thereby thereby there there- by almost wholly prevented and that the infinitesimal amount re required required required re- re which merely supplies the normal needs of the system has I not in a single case been shown to tobe tobe be harmful in fact is Incapable of t causing harm under any circumstances circumstances circum circum- I stances as It is a natural and es essential essential essential es- es element which must be supplIed supplied supplied sup sup- plied if lacking in the environment i It cannot fairly be claimed that I doctors disagree as to the above facts which have been proved beyond beyond beyond be be- yond question and are so accepted by all medical authorities as you will discover by Investigation I IThe The draft examinations showed a avery avery I Ivery very great variation in the prevalence prey prey- prevalence alence of goiter In the United States the lowest Incidence being found in states bordering on the ocean the original source of iodine I IA A group of ot five mountain states I including Utah where the iodine I contest has been largely leached out I of the soil showed shaved the highest percentage percentage percentage per per- of goiter for Instance seventeen seventeen seventeen sev sev- sevI I enteen times higher as compared i with some of the Atlantic states I In recognition of the fact that the I eradication of t goiter is one of the them health nee needs important public m most t board of hea health I in Utah the state I I has haa und undertaken a statewide campaign campaign campaign cam cam- which will include an examination ex ex- I of the entire entre school population pop pop- POPI I Already children I II I I have been examined d of whom I II I per cent were found to O have goiter in varying degrees degres es I Practically all of the cases caes found o nd have been of the simple endemic I type which Is almost almo t invariably true true of goiter In children These I cases would surely have been prevented prevented pre pro I vented by the use of Iodine as now recommended Within a few years goiter may maybe maybe maybe I be almost completely eradicated in Utah and that Is the aim of ot the health authorities Arrangements have been made with the school authorities in practically practically I all of the schools surveyed V whereby Iodine in the form of ot one I chocolate tablet containing a small fraction of a grain of iodine is given to the pupils once a week I during the school term ferm It would be very deplorable if t this his most important measure should be nullified or impaired by the Irresponsible ir irresponsible irresponsible ir- ir responsible assertions of ot Individuals whose motives may be self interest I or notoriety r rather than the public weal veal and which assertions are contrary contrary con- con I to the scientific and proved facts acts accepted by all recognized authorities au- au I aU-I It may be be mentioned that In Switzerland where goiter is en- en en 1 I en-I demie the result is accomplished on n a universal scale by a requIrement requirement require requIre- ment meat of ot law that all salt marketed for or table use shall have added to tot I It t Iodine in the proportion of ot one part art in The same method is advocated advocated in many parts of the I United States where the he disease is endemIc and no doubt eventually will vill be generally adopted In such areas reas areas When the published statement ment of ot otI Dr Sloan which h purported to represent represent rep- rep I resent the views of ot th the meeting of the he Goiter association and on which your editorial was based was published I wired wfred to Dr G G. W W. Middleton of ot Salt Lake City who attended the meeting for tor In Information Information information In- In formation as to the actual facts In reply he stated V Rochester Minn Dr T T. B B. B Beatty att I Sec State Board o of ot Health Salt Silt Lake City Utah Two radical third grade men fought public preventive measures for lor goiter at the Bloomington ton convention con con- con I Their contention was that physIcians should do the preventive preventive pre pre- pre pre-I thing All the rest were opposed to them There was no objection to the principle but only to the tho method of applying It Signed GEO W W. MIDDLETON Have Also received a wire from Dr C C. C II It Mayo ra o ot of Rochester one ohe of the leading autho authorities on the I V I subject V Rochester Minn Dr T T. B B. B BeattS Beatty Beatt S See Sec c. c State tate Board of Health Salt Lake City Utah V The Mayo rayo Clinic Is entirely In accord with aith the adoption of ot meas measures ures for the he widespread use of iodine for the prevention of goiter golter In school children especially in those district of country where goit goiter r 1 Is II end endemic r Ri Signed ned C II IT MAYO IA YO From the above e it will be seen that nothing transpired tr at nt the meeting in question that warranted the al assertion that there ther was any opposition as to the safety or de doV do- do V A 1 of ot tho use of ot iodine for lor forthe forthe the prevention of endemic goiter or that there has been any change chango in the views of ot medical men on ott ottI I the subject V While a very large proportion of already existing cases of goiter are readily cured by the proper use of of Iodine especially the simple forms found in children there are some cases of ot toxic goiter where injury might result from its injudicious use and it is the poli policy y of tho the state board of ot health to recommend that curative measures measures measures meas meas- ures shall be bo under the direction of a physician As a preventive measure there can bo be no possible harm from Crom the tho use of Iodine in the form recommended T T. B B. BEATTY M M. D D. State Health Commissioner |