Fluoridation

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 7

Fluoridation

Sir,—“M.D.S..” happily engaged in complicated hairsplitting. has completely overlooked one central figure —the child.—Yours, etc.. J DUGDALE. October 2. 1981.

Sir,—After a series of letters on this subject in “The Press” several years ago you published a leading article in which it was stated that letter* received for the correspondence column are edited. You mentioned, too, that thia had been the case with the subject of fluoridation and that many of the minority group who appear to have wielded such power everywhere in preventing ffuoridation were unable to write grammatically and even wrote of “flouridation.*' I realise that editing letters must necessarily be the policy of newspapers, but I doubt whether they are doing their readers a service in so doing. As iodised salt was accepted only gradually, it seems that the same will

apply to fluoride. However, I do think that more publicity should be given to the fact that fluoride tablets are available at any chemist’s shop. Many parents would be pleased to give their children a fluoride tablet each day, but simply do not know that they aye available. —Yours, etc., MOLAR. September 29, 1961. >

Sir, —As D. E. Currie claims that our water is “inferior” because it lacks fluorine, can he explain why the Maoris had such perfect teeth without this poisonous substance being added to the water? In justifying fluoridation he says, “All must drink water.” This has an unpleasant totalitarian ring about it. The wholesale parroted endorsements by doctors, dentists, and others are not as convincing as the opinion of just one man placed in a strategic position, namely, Elmer Hess, M.D., late American Medical Association president (September 10, 1955), who shows caution in stating: “Most of us in the American Medical Association feel that we have to depend upon the American Dental Association and the United States Public Health Service primarily for scientific (medical) facts concerning a situation of this kind (fluoridation). I am unable to express an opinion as to whether it is safe or not safe.” There we have it. — Yours, etc., VIGILANT. October 2, 1961.