Two and Two Halves to Bhutan

In 1964, Peter Steele, a newly wed doctor was introduced to the king of Bhutan, who invited him to visit his tiny country, then all but off limits to foreigners. The chance came in 1967 when Steele received a grant to study thyroid goitre, endemic to mountainous regions where glaciation has leeched iodine out of the soil. He and his wife Sarah, a nurse, and their two children, Adam, three and a half, and, Judith, one and a half, became ‘probably the first Westerners to do a complete crossing of the country.'
An amusing series of events and experiences throughout the book make it an enjoyable read, which doesn't involve itself too much in the medical research side of the story, other than identifying the work involved in the sampling.

In reading the 1970 book, it is somewhat reassuring to think that the tiny, isolated kingdom of Bhutan in all likelihood remains much the same now, 45 years later, given the difficulty (and cost) in vising.

Interesting, Steele and his family did return to Bhutan in 2010, 43 later. They met up with Chhimi, their original guide. They listed the changes as roads, cars, cellphones, bu thankfully also hospitals and medical care - and they didn't see anyone with goitre.