The problem of goitre prevention in India.

Endemic goitre continues to be prevalent in the entire northern submontane region of the Indian subcontinent. Although its etiology is complex, its prevention can be simply and effectively achieved by increasing the iodine intake of the population. The best way of ensuring a continual supply of iodine is by iodization of salt. Indian salt, however, is obtained mostly by solar evaporation of sea water or inland salt water, and is coarse and moist; it is consequently difficult to iodize uniformly. It is also likely that, under the conditions of storage and climate that prevail in India, the loss of iodine from salt iodized with iodide is considerable. The author recommends the iodization of all cooking salt used in the goitrous areas of India with 1 part of iodide to 100,000 parts of salt.