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vitamins and minerals have met with varying degrees of success,
but their application as public health measures to the population at
large has been disappointing. Fluoridation is a rational and practical
method of combating dental decay and this could be achieved
at relatively little cost in comparison with the present excessive
expenditure on dental services, generally, which will continue to
increase if effective preventive measures are not introduced.
Most of the objections other than 'ethical' arise from the
mistaken idea, fostered by eccentrics, that artificially introduced
fluoride into water supply is 'poisonous, gives rise to various
diseases, spoils beer, boosts the profits of aluminium companies,
etc., etc.', accusations which have never been substantiated under
strict examination. Indeed investigations carried out on behalf of
the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council for Research seem to show
that it has some preventive action in rheumatic diseases. Furthermore,
other experiments in Britain and the U.S.A. into substantial
and sustained doses of fluoride salts have shown that there is no
chance of any toxic effect from fluoridation of water supplies.
Investigations have indicated that with a fluoride intake many times
greater than the levels proposed for drinking water, the fluoride
content of the body cell fluids never rises above an early peak of
2 p.p.m. The new research shows not that a few parts per million
of fluoride can be beneficial (this has already been proved) but that
it is virtually impossible to produce damaging concentrations of
fluoride by oral methods. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that
fluoride has beneficial effects in forms of skeletal decay and that
regeneration of bone occurs under treatment without adverse effects
on the mineral balances of the body. Bone porosity is reduced and
a decrease in the incidence of fractures has been observed as has
the fact that high levels of fluoride tend to prevent bone calcium
loss associated with inactivity. This is of great importance in
geriatrics and treatment of long-term immobile patients.
Far from being the menace as some would have us suppose, it
seems that uses of fluoride in preventive medicine are grossly
underrated.
Food Poisoning
Under the provisions of Section 26 of the Food and Drugs Act,
1955, every registered medical practitioner attending on any
person shall, if he suspects or becomes aware that any person is
suffering from food poisoning, forthwith notify such case to the
Medical Officer of Health.
Twenty-two of such cases were registered including rediagnosis
of one paratyphoid and two dysentery notified cases.