Evening star., 1952-03-06
New York Tests
Cited in House
Study
Glowing AccountMode
By Doctor; Admits
Some Persons Affected
By jones <. Roper

U
Some Persons Affected
By james {. Roper
DR.. David B. Asst Of the New
York State Health Department to-
day gave q House committee q
glowing account of using fiuorides
to reduce tooth decay.
He conceded, though, that per-
sons with kidney trouble retain In
their bodies a more than usual
Of the chemicals that are
added to drinking water.
DR.. Asst testified before the
House Committee on Chemicals ir
Food. It is investigating the ad-
Of adding fiuorides to
water supplies to help prevent
tooth decay. especially among
children.
DR.. Asst described the results Of
fluoridating the water of New
burgh. N. Y. The New York State
Health Department simultaneously
kept track of tooth trouble among
children in Kingston, N. Y, where
no fluoride was added to the water
Rate Changes Drastically.
"Among the 6-to-12-year-old
children examined at the outset
of the study the Newburgh chill
dren had a two per cent higher
dental carries (cavities) rate foI
their permanent teeth as COM
pared with Kingston" DR.. Asst
testified. after five years OF
huoride experience the New
burgh rate was 40 per cent lower
than that in Kingston.
"In deciduous (baby) teeth the
Newburgh children aged 5-8 had
S per cent more dental carries than
the same aged children in Kings
ton. However. after five years OF
f1uoride experience the New
burgh rate was IS per cent lower
than that in Kingston"
Questioned on Effects.
Representative Miller. Repub-
lican, of Nebraska and Commit
Tee Counsel Vincent A. Kleinfeld
questioned DR.. Asst closely on
fluorides might have some
harmful effects on certain per-
sons, including the i'll or aged.
DR.. Asst, under examination by
Mr.. Miller, conceded that the
Newburgh- Kingston study showed
higher retention of fluorides
persons with kidney dis
ease"
DR.. Asst said detailed figures
have not been compiled. He de-
MED. however, that this was any
cause for alarm and tried to cite
vital statistics in areas where the
water is naturally f1uoridated to
show that fiuorides do not cause
early deaths. even among persons
with kidney trouble.
"You can prove anything with
vital statistics" snapped Mr.. Mil
Ter, a former Nebraska State
health officer and opponent OF
~
You've got to have statistics, >
DIR. Asst.
Have you got statistics on
children with damaged kidneys?'
Mr.. Miller asked.
mo"
Then you've got nothing"
Science Articles Read.
Mr.. Kleinfeld read into the rec
ord articles from science journals
asserting that fluoride could affect
the hemoglobin count in blood and
is usually concentrated in certain
tissues in the abdomen of preg-
nant women. An article in the
official journal Of the American
Public Health Association, which
DR.. Asst represents. raised the
question Of whether various
fluoride compounds that could be
added to drinking water have the
same effect when consumed by
humans.
Early experiments such as al
Newburgh used sodium fluoride
but the District, which plans tt
start fluoridation this spring, ex-
poets to use sodium silicohuoride
Despite the article in the Public
Health Association Journal, DR.
Asst said he believed sodium silico-
fluoride would be just as bene-
fetal as sodium fiuoride. The
District is planning to use sodium
Silicofluoride because it is cheaper
On this problem DR.. Asst said;
I'VE have not completed all oul
studies, Of course. We have te
use the information we have
available and proceed If we are
going to make progress.