Evening star., 1952-03-25
New FIuoridotion Hearing?

War over the use of water, both ball
neal and ingeStive, In therapy and pre-
vention Of disease, has broken out on
various fronts ever since the Romans
took to the baths. The current battle
raging over the addition to community
tap water Of fluorine compound as q
public health measure designed to pre-
vent dental carries in children, appears
to be growing in intensity.
I suggest plan to resolve this con-
troversy. My plan would result in q
clear cut determination of the issues
Of propriety and wisdom of the pro-
posed huoridation program for the
District. and at the same time restore
in some measure Nationwide confidence
in Government and scientific health
authorities.
As former Government attorney for
the Food and Drug Administration,
take the view that the Federal Food,
Drug and Cosmetic Act governs the
fiuoridation problem in the District.
This law is applicable here. Water is
food. Any compound Of fiuorine is
admittedly categorized by toxicologistS
and pharmacologists as poisonous or
deleterious substance. The food and
drug statute defines as adulterated any
food which contains an added poison
Gus or deleterious substance, without
regard to quantity. There is. however.
a vital qualification to this definition
of adulteration. Provision is made for
full, public. administrative hearings by
the Food and Drug Administration to
determine whether given poisonous
or deleterious substance must be added.
to food and II so. what tolerance or
amount should be permitted? Decision
on the basis of the record is then made
by the Administrator Of the Federal
Security Agency. Of which Food and
Drug is q constituent unit. The Public
Health Service. which recommends
fiuoridation. is also q constituent unit
Of F.SA.
propose that the Food and Drug Ad-
ministration start hearings without de-
lay.
District tap water is used CONNER
cially in thousands of eating establish
ments, bottling plants. etc.
The wave Of protest and confusion
over fiuoridation stems from several
sources. Principally. I think, it comes
from the knowledge that there is oppo-
Sition by few experts as to the wisdom
Of the program. These dissenters were
afforded forum in the recently con-
cluded Delaney committee hearings.
But no definitive decision on the merits
Of fiuoridation can come from this COM
mittee. Its function is to report to
Congress on the larger question Of the
need for amending the Federal Food.
Drug and Cosmetic Act by casting the
burden on food distributors to prove
absence Of toxicity Of added chemicals.
Another cause Of confusion is the an
nounced attitude Of the Food and Drug
Administration. As recently as March
IA, 1852, your paper carried a story
that the Food and Drug Administration
told inquiring bottled water dealers that
the addition of duorine would adulter-
ate their water. This really presents
an anomalous situation. It is a mod
ern, anachronistic II hopel version Of
the ancient doctrine that the sovereign
can do no wrongbut the subject must
obey the law of the land. hasten to
add that the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration IS entirely correct in its re-
ported response to the water dealers
Again, here the confusing situation
could be relieved by the administrative
procedure outlined above.
Like lot Of other people, just don't
know whether huoridation is desirable.
do know. however. that if the Food
and Drug Administration were to con-.
duct . hearing, the best answer avail