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68
We, as the Health Committee of the new London Borough of Hackney, have
now considered the main issues for and against the fluoridation of drinking
water and are of the opinion that it is harmless to health and effective for
dental protection".
At its meeting on 24th November, 1965, the Cbuncil resolved
"That this Council, in the light of further information received since
June last when they received a report from the Health Committee expressing the
opinion that fluoridation of drinking water was harmless to health and effective
for dental protection, congratulate the Ministry of Health for its Circular
15/65 and the Minister of Health for his recent statements urging local
authorities and water undertakings to expedite the fluoridation of water, and
that they
(1) inform the London Boroughs Committee of their support for fluoridation
and, if necessary, to press the Ministry of Health to promote the
necessary legislation;
(2) inform the Association of Municipal Corporations similarly; and
(3) request the Central Council for Health Education to undertake a massive
campaign of education based on the overwhelming professional evidence
in support of fluoridation as an urgent requirement in the field of
preventive medicine".
Early in 1969 a suggestion was put forward that an obligation of fluoridating
the water supply for the whole country on all water undertakings should
be imposed by public statute. The Council, therefore, re-considered its former
decisions and on 26th March resolved
"That the Cbuncil does not adhere to its policy as expressed in the resolution
set out above (i.e. resolution of 24/11/65) in view of objections
against everyone being compelled without any choice to drink fluoridated water,
which is only intended for the benefit of children, and the Council considers
it advisable to use one of the alternative methods mentioned in the British
Dental Association booklet, page 8, question 17 and that the London Boroughs
Association, the Association of Municipal Corporations and the Department of
Health and Social Security be informed of this decision".
The British Dental Association booklet refers to six other methods of
administering fluorides as alternatives to fluoridation of public water supplies.
These are topical application; fluoride toothpaste, tablets or pills;
fluoridated chewing gum; fluoridated bread, milk, salt and sweets; and individual
home fluoridator.
At its meeting on 2nd July, 1969, the Cbuncil debated the following report
by the Health Committee;-
The Council on the 26th March, 1969 (Item 770) reversed our recommendation
that the Council confirm its previous policy in favour of fluoridation of
drinking water. Because of our concern, we asked the Medical Officer of Health
to report to us on alternative methods of administering fluoride. We have now
received that report and have agreed to arrange for fluoride tablets to be
available for distrioution to the parents of children under school age and
pregnant women in order to encourage the use of fluoride at the most important
time. We feel that the need to administer fluoride to young children is so
important that we have also asked the Officers concerned to discuss with the
Inner London Education Authority, the giving of fluoride to school children up
to the age of 11 years.
We have also been advised that the Secretary of State learned with regret of
the Council's decision against the principle of fluoridation of water supplies.