USEFUL ALGAE — CHASE 435 



The Japanese production of iodine and potassium iodide from kelp 

 is still large. Okuda and Eto carried on a number of investigations 

 regarding the iodine content of certain Japanese kelps. They found 

 that algae in an open sea contain more iodine than the same species 

 in an inland sea, and that the iodine content of the algae is lowest 

 in the spring and highest in the fall. 



The fact that goiter is unknown among the people of Japan and 

 China is an indication of the effect of the iodine in their seaweed diet, 

 while this deficiency disease is very prevalent among peoples of 

 Switzerland who have no contact with the marine algae. 



The charcoal derived from kelp was used at one time under the name 

 of Aethwps vegetabilis or vegetable ethiops in the treatment of goiter 

 and scrofulous swellings. Bladderwrack, the common name for 

 Fv/yus vesiculosus (pi. 6, fig. 2), is an ingredient of certain nostrums 

 used in the treatment of obesity. One scientist affirms that Fucus 

 vesiculosus is largely used in Ireland for fattening pigs so it seems 

 doubtful that its preparations are capable of reducing human obesity 

 unless given in such doses as to interfere with digestion and injure 

 the health. The possible explanation for its reducing power is found 

 in experiments of Hunt and Seidell who present evidence indicating 

 that the extract of this plant is a powerful stimulant to the thyroid 

 gland. 



The vegetarian food and diet shops have a number of commercial 

 l)reparations made from algae, which they advertise for use in defi- 

 ciency disturbances due to improper balance of minerals and espe- 

 cially the lack of iodine and calcium in the body. The majority of 

 these products in powder and tablet form are prepared from the giant 

 kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera (pi. 7, fig. 1). 



ALGAE AS FERTILIZERS 



Seaweeds have been used as fertilizers since the beginning of agri- 

 culture in Japan and China, and on the islands and coastal farms of 

 northwestern Europe. The driftweeds were usually gathered after 

 storms and piled on the shore or near the barns to dry out in time for 

 the fall, when they were placed around the fruit trees and on the 

 ground preparatory to planting the spring root crops. Even in the 

 United States seaweeds, especially the kelps, were employed as fertili- 

 zers before the real reason for their action had been determined. The 

 Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station issued a bulletin in 

 1893 stating that the value of seaweed fertilizers utilized was $65,044 

 as compared with $164,133 paid for commercial fertilizers. Since the 

 founding of the colony at Rye Beach, N. H., the farmers have con- 

 sidered the success of their red clover growth due to the fact that they 

 cover their land with seaweed and plow it under. On the island of 



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