“No Harmful Effects” From Fluoridation In Hastings

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 14

“No Harmful Effects” From Fluoridation In Hastings

No harmful effecte on health will follow the fluoridation of water supplies, according to the fluoridation committee of the Board of Health. This conclusion is reinforced by the fact that not one person in Hastings has produced a medical certificate indicating that some ailment was caused by fluoridation since the Hastings water supply was fluoridated six years ago, said the secretary of the committee, Mr K. E. Swann, yesterday. Mr Swann was replying to a complaint to the editor of “The Press” about the alleged ill-effects of drinking fluoridated water from Mr W. A. G. Penlington, of Havelock North, president of the Hastings Anti-Fluoridation Society. Mr Penlington had presented 25 letters in support of his thesis to the Fluoridation Commission, which had exhaustively examined the complaints, said Mr Swann.

Mr Penlington, in his letter to “The Press,” said: “From your leading article of September 22 I gather that you have not considered the more substantial reasons why quite intelligent people are resisting fluoridation. In the Hastings area there is widespread' resentment against the mass-dosing of unconsenting people, particularly since the dental effects of fluorine c£n be had more safely and more accurately by other means. "There have been numerous complaints of ill-effects from the fluoridated water. They have never been properly examined, or disproved. They began to be made before it was known that similar symptoms were being complained of in fluoridated communities of the United States and before there had been publicity regarding the actual starting of fluoridation in Hastings. They were not the result of ‘suggestion.’ “Illogical claims of dental success have been made, but the fact remains that, after four years of fluoridation, the last survey showed more decayed teeth in the young children of fluoridated Hastings than in the ‘control’ town of Napier. The proper solution of this controversy is to make fluoride available to those who want it, but not mass-dose the population.” Mayor’s Offer

If any medical certificate indicating an ailment due. to fluoridation was produced, the Mayor of Hastings would refer the matter immediately to the Director-Gen-eral of Health, as he had said he would do in February, 1954, said Mr Swann. This offer was still valid. Mr Penlington’s contention that the claims of dental improvement in Hastings were illogical could not be supported, spid Mr Swann. The results of the dental surveys carried out so far showed clearly that a 42 per cent, reduction in the amount of dental decay in the permanent teeth of six-year-old children had been achieved, with smaller reductions for those in the seven and eight-year-old groups. "Your readers may be interested in some comments received from overseas acknowledging the interim report about fluoridation

at Hastings, in which the danta) , benefits so far obtained were described,” .said Mr Swaim.'. They were:— . Overseaa Comment ' Dr. John E. Buhler, Emory Uni- . versity, Georgia: "I want to eeOt mend you and your confreres edte were responsible In achieving the programme.” . Professor W. b. University of Minnesota: “Your group are certainly to be congratulated on the thoroughness in which you are carrying out this study.”’ '■ Dr. Frederick S. McKay. Colorado Springs:, “The (statistical) tables indicate clearly that there was a benefit to the Hastings children in the way of decay reduction." Dr. Sidney B. Clark, Department of Public Health, San Diego: “You may be assured that we wish you every success in your venture to provide fluoridation.” Dr. C. D. Marshall-Day. TuM University, Massachusetts: “The results appear to follow, the pettern of caries reduction in Similar studies in this country." Mr F. Bruce Rice, Dental Health Officer, World Health Orgnniam tion: "The results are very interesting, especially so to the writer, who comes from Napier. The results are in line with what cm could reasonably expect, but it is always satisfying to know that expectations have received scientific confirmation.”