Friday, March 7, 2008

SC -- The Wonderful Iodine State!

Who knew?! I think I've found a new conversation starter . . .

"In the late 1920s, the SC Natural Resources Commission began a campaign to draw attention to the high levels of iodine in our state's soil and produce. The campaign warned people from the West and Midwest (where iodine was not as prevalent) about the dangers of iodine deficiency – 'including sterility, dwarfism, and idiocy.' The commission hoped to increase the market for our fruits and vegetables around the country. To help the campaign along, South Carolina even printed 'The Iodine State' on our license plates!

Now, today you and I might take iodine for granted, but back then it was serious business. In its extreme form, a lack of this essential element causes cretinism – severely stunted physical and mental growth. In its lesser form, iodine deficiency manifests itself in a disease called goiter. Goiter is a swelling of the thyroid gland which causes a large bump on the front or side of the neck. During World War I, this swelling disqualified more men from service than anything else, and in Michigan alone 30% of draftees were afflicted by it.The relationship between iodine and goiter was discovered in Switzerland in 1821, but for various reasons it wasn't acted upon here in America until 1924, when finally a major public health movement prompted the salt industry to begin adding iodine to table salt. This simple step helped eliminate goiters in America, but it also took away the impetus for South Carolina's iodine campaign. We do have one lasting reminder of iodine’s importance in our state however. The call letters for WIS-TV in Columbia (which began as WIS Radio in 1930) stand for 'Wonderful Iodine State.'"

For the full SCIway newsletter article: http://www.sciway.net/sn/53.html#8

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