Studies on Low Selenium Belt in China and Pathogeny of Keshan and Kaschin-beck Diseases
我国低硒带与克山病、大骨节病病因关系的研究

This article gives a brief summary based on authors' studies on environmental pathogeny of Keshan and Kaschin-beck diseases in recent years. In China there is an environmentally low selenium belt, which mainly covers the brown-drab soil series of temperate and warm temperate zones. The soil-plant-animal-human system in this belt shows a low selenium ecological cycle. Keshan and Kaschin-beck diseases have been investigated in some mountainous and hilly districts in that belt with disconnected tracts. Obvious negative relationship between incidence of Keshan and Kaschin-beck diseases and low selenium nutrition. Low selenium in human body is found coincident to geographically epide-miological rule of these endemic diseases.Keshan disease can be effectively prevented by using sodium selenite. It can also be used to cure or to prevent Kaschin-beck disease.