Endemic goitre and its prevention in Hungary.

Studies on the extent and severity of endemic goitre-a serious public health problem in Hungary-have been carried out in that country since 1925, but by uniform methods since 1943 only. They show that over 400 000 persons suffer from goitre or other thyroid disorders, which are endemic in about 20% of the country, although only 8% of the affected areas are mountainous. Research into the proper level of iodization for salt was conducted on about 9000 persons, and it was decided to use 10 mg KI per kg of salt. In 1949, the use of iodized salt was made compulsory in areas where the frequency of goitre among schoolboys 6-10 years of age was 20% or higher or where signs of physical and mental degeneration were frequent. In other areas, the use of iodized salt was optional. Over six years, a significant improvement has occurred in most of the areas with compulsory iodization. Where there has been no significant improvement more detailed etiological studies are necessary; this can only be done by introducing a more local system of control with goitre subcentres, and work on these lines has already begun.The object of goitre prophylaxis in Hungary is to reduce the incidence of the disease to below 1%, when more purely therapeutic measures can be taken.