[Tanniker Smith]

And in case of nuclear fallout, give your children iodine immediately to prevent their bodies from absorbing the similar-in-molecular-structure strontium. (According to my high school Chemistry teacher, who taught me during the Cold War ... before Reagan ...)

[sodpoodle]

Ah yes - the good old days - when teachers taught us important stuff.

[dynachrome]

I believe you mean potasium iodide in case of fallout:

http://www.nitro-pak.com/index.php?cPath=37&osCsid=206bf4177dbc010b137a1e16677af197

[Campion]

And in case of nuclear fallout, give your children iodine immediately to prevent their bodies from absorbing the similar-in-molecular-structure strontium.

Not quite. You administer non-radioactive iodine to push out the radioactive iodine-131, and keep it from being absorbed into the thyroid gland, where it tends to cause cancer. (The excess iodine is just eliminated by the kidneys instead.)

[AFreeBird]

They make potassium iodide tablets, but be warned: According to the paper - "Nuclear War Survival Skills", it is an extremely unpleasant and painful experience when it touches the tongue. And don't think you can count on table salt. You would need far too much and the whole idea is to charge up the thyroid right away.

PREVENTION OF THYROID DAMAGE FROM RADIOACTIVE IODINES

[Squawk 8888]

I recall reading about the disaster plan for a nuke plant here; they keep a stock of iodine tablets to distribute to the local population.