Iodine in Maryland Waters in Relation to Goiter

Abstract

A large amount of seafood insures an abundance of iodine in the diet and there is very low goiter incidence in the tidewater region. It has been shown that sea-spray blown back on the land accounts for a sufficiency of iodine only in a narrow zone, about 3 to 6 miles wide, along the coast, so this source of iodine is not sufficient to account for the low goiter incidence in the tidewater region.∗ As shown by the Draft Board statistics and Public Health Service, goiter is prevalent in the mountainous region of Western Maryland. This is accounted for by the low iodine content of the drinking water of 3 western counties, as given below, compared with that of Baltimore.

The iodine content of drinking water is an index of the iodine content of the local food supply.

We are indebted to Dr. Chas. B. Davenport and the Department of Health of Maryland for water samples. This research is done under a grant from the Joint Research Committee (Mayo Foundation) and the Therapeutic Research Committee, Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, American Medical Association.