--- title: Gland Theft Thyroid image: https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1930s/Gland%20Theft%20Thyroid/Centennial-GlandTheftThyriod-Social.jpg --- [![Cleveland Clinic Magazine - Giving Does Good | Centennial](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine%20Template%20Assets/img/logo-cc-magazine-centennial-mb-inverse.png?noresize&width=224&height=38&name=logo-cc-magazine-centennial-mb-inverse.png) ![Cleveland Clinic Magazine - Giving Does Good | Centennial](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine%20Template%20Assets/img/logo-cc-magazine-centennial-inverse.png?noresize&width=552&height=65&name=logo-cc-magazine-centennial-inverse.png)](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial?hsLang=en) [Donate](https://give.ccf.org/CCMAG) THE 1930s # Gland Theft Thyroid ## Share - [Share on facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/gland-theft-thyroid&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) - [Share on twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/gland-theft-thyroid&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/gland-theft-thyroid&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) - [Share on linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/gland-theft-thyroid&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) - [Share on email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20Gland%20Theft%20Thyroid%20&body=Check%20out%20https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/gland-theft-thyroid&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) ![Centennial-GlandTheftThyriod-Wide-2](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1930s/Gland%20Theft%20Thyroid/Centennial-GlandTheftThyriod-Wide-2.jpg?width=1030&height=798&name=Centennial-GlandTheftThyriod-Wide-2.jpg) In 1936, Dr. George Crile Sr. (second from right) performs his 25,000th thyroid operation, assisted by his son, Dr. George “Barney” Crile Jr. (third from left). | Photo: Cleveland Clinic Archives ## Also in 1936: HOOVER DAM COMPLETED "GONE WITH THE WIND" PUBLISHED JESSE OWENS WINS FOUR GOLD MEDALS AT BERLIN OLYMPICS George Crile Sr., MD, called it “stealing the thyroid.” The Cleveland Clinic co-founder believed that fear could lead to serious complications for thyroidectomy patients, so they weren’t told in advance when their thyroids would be removed. Instead, they grew accustomed to getting a dose of nitrous oxide every morning; giddiness often ensued. On the designated day, after the dosage was increased enough to render them unconscious, Dr. Crile and his team suddenly materialized bedside. The neck was prepped and draped. A nurse illuminated the operative field with “the Crile stick” — a light jury-rigged to a pole. Dr. Crile himself made a precisely curved incision with a single stroke. In 10 minutes, the procedure was over. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Great Lakes region was known as the Goiter Belt. Among residents there, dietary iodine deficiency often led to abnormally enlarged thyroid glands, which could become dangerously swollen. Before the introduction of iodized salt remedied the situation, Dr. Crile removed up to 30 thyroids a day. The element of surprise that he favored was unusual, especially by contemporary standards, but the results spoke for themselves: Cleveland Clinic had the lowest mortality rate for thyroidectomies. ## Explore the Decades ### [![Polaroid of forest](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/Origins/War%20Story/Centennial-WarStory-SmallThumbnail.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Centennial-WarStory-SmallThumbnail.jpg) Origins](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/origins?hsLang=en) ### [![Cleveland Clinic Building](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1920s/Decade%20Page/1920-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1920-Small.jpg) The 1920s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1920s?hsLang=en) ### [![Clinic Building](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1930s/Decade%20Page/1930-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1930-Small.jpg) The 1930s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1930s?hsLang=en) ### [![George Crile Sr.](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1940s/Decade%20Page/1940-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1940-Small.jpg) The 1940s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1940s?hsLang=en) ### [![Willem Kolff, MD, PhD, holding a can](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1950s/Decade%20Page/1950-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1950-Small.jpg) The 1950s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1950s?hsLang=en) ### [![Dr. Rupert Turnball, MD with 3 women](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1960s/Decade%20Page/1960-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1960-Small.jpg) The 1960s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1960s?hsLang=en) ### [![Floyd Loop, MD](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1970s/Decade%20Page/1970-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1970-Small.jpg) The 1970s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1970s?hsLang=en) ### [![Joseph Hahn, MD operating on a patient](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1980s/Decade%20Page/1980-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1980-Small.jpg) The 1980s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1980s?hsLang=en) ### [![Sherwin building](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/1990s/Decade%20Page/1990-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=1990-Small.jpg) The 1990s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/1990s?hsLang=en) ### [![Taussig Cancer Institute](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/2000s/Decade/2000-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=2000-Small.jpg) The 2000s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/2000s?hsLang=en) ### [![Stewart Kohl and Larry Pollock](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/2010s/Decade%20Page/2010-Small.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=2010-Small.jpg) The 2010s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/2010s?hsLang=en) ### [![Lara K. Kalafatis](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Centennial/Top%20Stories/Letter%20from%20Lara/Centennial-Lara-SmallThumbnail.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Centennial-Lara-SmallThumbnail.jpg) Top Stories](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/top-stories?hsLang=en) - [Archive](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/archive?hsLang=en) - [Contact](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/contact-us?hsLang=en) - [Subscribe](https://donate.clevelandclinic.org/sign-up?hsLang=en) - [Purchase](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2021-centennial/get-your-copy-today?hsLang=en) [Donate](https://give.ccf.org/CCMAG) [![Cleveland Clinic](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine%20Template%20Assets/img/logo-cc.png?width=300&name=logo-cc.png "Cleveland Clinic")](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/) © 2026 Cleveland Clinic. All rights reserved. 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