From prophylaxis to atomic cocktail: circulation of radioiodine

This paper is a history of iodine. To trace the trajectory of this element, goiter is used as a guideline for the articulation of a historical account, as a representation of thyroid disorders and of the spaces of knowledge and practices related to iodine. Iodine’s journey from goiter treatment and...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Santesmases, María Jesús
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2009
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/29655
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/29655
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Radioiodine
endocrinology
Spain
Junta de Energía Nuclear
Gregorio Marañón
goitre
US-Spanish diplomatic relations
Descripción
Sumario:This paper is a history of iodine. To trace the trajectory of this element, goiter is used as a guideline for the articulation of a historical account, as a representation of thyroid disorders and of the spaces of knowledge and practices related to iodine. Iodine’s journey from goiter treatment and prophylaxis in the late interwar period took on a new course after WWII by including the element’s radioactive isotopes. I intend to show how the introduction of radioiodine contributed to stabilize the epistemic role of iodine, in both its non-radioactive and radioactive form, in thyroid gland studies and in the treatment of its disorders.