THE IODINE-DEFICIENT HUMAN THYROID GLAND. A PRELIMINARY REPORT*†

Abstract

THE role of iodine deficiency in endemic goiter was established by the pioneer studies of Marine (1) and Chatin (2). Spectacular results have been achieved in the prophylaxis of this type of goiter by the use of iodized salt, and in many of the former endemic areas of the world the disease has now vanished; but this public health measure was begun before the introduction of modern tools of thyroid research. No reports are available in which radioisotope techniques were used in the study of the iodine-deficient thyroid gland in man, and the same is true of modern accurate chemical methods of iodine determination. It seemed reasonable that these techniques applied to a study of the deficient human thyroid would yield information of value, because such a gland, working in precarious equilibrium with the iodine supply, might allow measurements which would permit more precise definition of thyroid dynamics than does the semidormant gland abundantly supplied with iodide. With this objective, the iodine-deficient human thyroid gland was studied.