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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2000  > August  >
Chemistry for Everyone
Discovery and Early Uses of Iodine
Louis Rosenfeld
Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Cover
August 2000
Vol. 77 No. 8
p. 984

Abstract
The ancient Chinese recognized goiter and the therapeutic effects of burnt sponge and seaweed in reducing its size or causing its disappearance. The modern use of iodine in the prevention of goiter dates from 1830, when it was proposed that goiter is an iodine deficiency disease due to lack of iodine in the water supply. But unfavorable symptoms of iodism were frequent owing to overenthusiastic use and overdose of iodine. Consequently, iodide prophylaxis was discredited and abandoned. The presence of iodine in organic combination as a normal constituent of the thyroid was established in 1896 and the use of iodine in treatment and prevention of goiter was revived. In 1917 the general use of iodized salt in goitrous areas was shown to be effective in preventing simple endemic goiter.
More Information
*  Citation
Rosenfeld, Louis. J. Chem. Educ. 2000 77 984.
*  Keywords
History / Philosophy; Medicinal Chemistry; Iodine, Public Understanding, Introductory/High School Chemistry
*  History
Created:
Last Updated:
July 5, 2000
April 15, 2005
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2000 > August > Page 984


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