Evening star., 1946-08-25

|FIuorine Limits
Tooth Decay Of
'1,oooD.C.Pupi|s
Health Report Shows
City's Deoth Rote Is
| Lowest in History
By John w. Thompson, Jr.

~ s"S''fS~hbf
An experiment which may presage
future control of tooth decay among
children has been tried out on 1000
Washington school pupils with
highly satisfactory" results, it was
disclosed yesterday in the Health
Departments annual report to the
Commissioners.
The report also revealed a gen.
eral death rate here during 1945
OF 81 deaths per thousand popula-
tion-the lowest figure in city his
tory and the fifth consecutive year
to show a decrease.
The dental test has been carried
out during the past two years by
DR.. A. Harry Ostrow, chief of the
Health Department. bureau of den-
tai service, and the United States
Public Health Service after studies
revealed that small quantities of
fluorine in drinking water reduced
tooth decay.
Will Seek Dental Fund.
DR.. Ostrow said the results were
so favorable that he is planning to
seek funds in the l948 District bud
get to extend the treatment to all
school children.
Final figures on the results are
withheld for later official disclosure.
but DR.. OstroW revealed in the an
nual report of the Health Depart
ment for the calendar year 1945,
made public yesterday, that pre-
liminary findings show a marked
reduction in tooth decay among the
patients treated He said they
confirm previous health service
findings.
Experiments have shown that If
the fluorine content is too high
in, drinking water, discolorations
develop on the tooth enamel. Sub
sequent tests showed that direct
application of the compound would
reduce decay without mottling the
teeth.
1000 Chosen for Test.
DR.. Ostrow and DR.. Henry Klein,
his federal collaboration, selected
l 900 school pupils. between the ages
of 6 and l3 years. with advanced
tooth decay and began treatments
at the Southwest Health Center.
The fiuorine and other similar
chemical compounds, it was said,
were applied to the teeth on one
side of the mouth only.
Checks and re-examinations after
a period of time showed substantial
less decay developed in the treated
teeth than in the untreated teeth.
DR.. OstroW described the results
as opening "a new avenue of
thought which may lead to the
control of tooth decay"
The Health Department dentist
indicated that maximum effect was
obtained in the prevention of de-
cay on newly erupted teeth rather
than elimination of existing decay.
This also tends to limit the effec-
tlveness to children, he added.
No Diptheria Deaths.
Not a single death from diptheria
was recorded for the second consec-
utive year, and the department de-
scribed this as major lifesaving
achievement, pointing to the i'm
munization of $4,000 school chill
dren.
The 10 worst killers here were
listed in order as heart disease. O.
482;; cancer. 1.270; kidney disease
(nephritis), 721: brain hemorrhage,
$40; tuberculosis, 581; accidents,
AS: pneumonia, 410: premature
births, 341; diabetes, 1873 and syph-
Ills. 159.
While district health Is steadily
improving, the report said, it is still
not as good as it can be.
Chief organizational development
was given as the establishment of
the Bureau Of Mental Hygiene.
There is a large problem in men
tai hygienes not reflected in the
health statistics OF this report" it
declared.