Evening star., 1952-02-20
Health Officials
Discount Fears
0fFIuoridation
House Committee to
Resume Hearings on
Treatment Tomorrow

The controversy over fiuorida-
ton was on again today as prep
arations went ahead to treat the
Districts water supply. probably
starting this spring.
Most District residents could
only speculate as the experts
differed among themselves over
the possible effects of adding
fiuoride to their drinking water
as tooth decay prevention meas
ure.
But Commissioner F. Joseph
Donohue announced he was not
disturbed by reports on Capitol
Hill yesterday that the process
could cause a harmful effect
among some persons drinking the
water. He expressed confidence
In extensive previous studies.
Challenges came also from the
National Institutes of Health, re-
search branch of the United States
Public Health Service, and DR.. A.
Harry Ostrow, head Of the District
Bureau of Dental Services, who
had recommended the fluoridation
process.
Experiments in Texas.
The testimony at the Capitol
referred to experiments with mice
In Texas which repeatedly showed
that If a mouse was destined to
die Of cancer, the disease de-
veloped earlier when it received
f1uoridated water.
The House Select Committee on
the Use of Chemicals in Food,
which heard yesterdays testi-
mony. will resume hearings on the
subject tomorrow.
Mr.. Donohue said studies in
dicate millions of persons are
drinking and have been drinking
water containing more fiuoride
than is proposed for addition tol
the Districts water, and medical
authorities have not found any
harmful effects except sometimes
the appearance of mottled tooth
enamel where fuoride was present.
In large amounts.
1t was this condition which led
70 research on the subject.
Officials Not Impressed.
A statement from the NationalI
Institutes of Health Indicated
officials there were familiar with
the Texas experiments and were
not impressed.
Unless there are additional ex-
perimental results with which we
are not familiar, it is felt that
these studies do not warrant de-
priying children Of the benefits
OF small amounts of duoride re-
quired to prevent dental carries, /"
the statement said.
The Public Health Service. ac-
cording to the statement, heard
about laboratory studies being
made at the University of Texas,
indicating a possible relationship
between the incidence of cancer in1
mice and the presence of f1uoride
In drinking water about a year
ago.
Since this was divergent" from
the results of numerous field
studies comparing human popula-
tions receiving natural fluoride
in their water and those receiving
none. the institutes sought further
information.
Reviewed Texas Results.
Top officials of the National
Institute of Dental Research and
the National Cancer Institute
went to Texas to review the
studies and conclusions. it was re-
ported.
"It was found at that time
that the number of mice under
observation was too small to make
any statistically valid conclu-
sions possible" the statement said.
Moreover. it was found that
the food being given to the mice
routinely. both to the control
group and to those receiving one
MISREPRESENTATION fluoride in
their water contained over 40I
parts per million of fiuoride.
"ThiS obviously negated the en-
tire experiment. Comparisons of
cancer rates in human popula-
tions receiving natural huoride
far in exces of that used for the
control of dental carries has shown
no influence on the cancer rates,
as compared to populations re-
ceiving no fuoride in the water
supply"
The proportion of huoride to
be added to the Districts water
will be one part per million or less.
No Experiment Here.
DR.. Ostrow said the District
planned no experimentation of
its own, but would rely on what it
considered conclusive findings in
extensive studies elsewhere.
Testifying yesterday were Alfred
Taylor Of the Bio-chemical Insti-
tute Of the University Of Texas and
the Clayton Foundation for Re-
search, and Robert s. Harris, Nu-
tritional Bio-chemistry Labora-
tories, Massachusetts, Institute of
Technology. Cambridge, Mass.
DR.. Taylor testified 20 Texas
cities were holding up plans for
fluoridation of their drinking
water as a result of Texas expert
ments on the effect of adding
sodium fluoride to the drinking
water Of mice. ..t.
The result repeatedly showed
no, change in the incidence Of
cancer. but indicated a shorter
life span in the mice receiving
fluoridated water.
S Discounts Findings.
DR.. Ostrow said he had a re-
port from DR.. Edward Taylor,
fIirect0r 0f dental haoIty An tho