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of the teeth of children growing up in these districts. Except for mottled teeth in one area where
the natural fluoride concentration is high, no-one has ever detected any ill effects, and
countless thousands of people have drunk natural fluoridised water all their lives. In parts of
America 32 million people drink water every day to which fluorine has been artificially added.
Fluoridation of drinking water must now be regarded as a safe, tasteless and effective means of
preventing dental decay.
Radiation Hazards
Turing the year The Radioactive Substances Act was passed. It is concerned with disposal
of radioactive waste, vesting powers in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the
Ministry of Agriculture.
(1) To register all casual users of radioactivity and to notify their registration to the
relevant Public Health Authority.
(2) To require authorisation for radioactive waste disposal.
(3) To prescribe methods and standards to be followed in such disposal.
(4) To establish a national disposal service.
(5) To appoint an inspectorate.
(6) To impose penalties for violation, the nature of which is prescribed by the Act.
This Act supersedes all incidental powers regarding radioactive waste, hitherto found in
the Public Health and River Pollution legislation. The emphasis now is on adequate preventive
measures, rather than taking action when a radioactive nuisance has become apparent.
In December, I960 the Medical Research Council presented a second report on the Hazards
of Nuclear and Allied Radiations which is a comprehensive technical survey of all aspects of
radiation both natural and artificial and their medical and genetic effects. It records that the
average bone marrow dose from radioactive fall out during the years 1958 and 1959 was only 1/15
of that from the natural background radiation which varies according to the amount of radioactive
material in the local rock formations. The rib of an ancient Egyptian who died 4,000 years ago
had much the same levels of natural alpha radiation as a present day man.
Drainage and Sewerage
As the work on floodrelief schemes proceeds it is becomingmore apparent that the Council's
decision to undertake this workwas a wise one. Nocases of serious flooding have occurred during
the year.
Separate soil and surface water systems of drainage and sewerage continue in operation but
as will be noted from the list of defects remedied, defective and/or choked drains continue to