Helen C. Chase

The Newburgh-Kingston caries fluorine study IV. Dental findings after six years of water fluoridation

Abstract It is the prevailing scientific opinion, as expressed by leading health organizations ∗ in this country, that the fluoridation of potable water to a concentration of 1 p.p.m. F. is a safe, beneficial, and practical public health procedure. This is based on: (1) a critical review of the available literature on fluoride compounds and the effects of ingested fluorides on both man and animal; (2) on the data obtained from the carefully controlled studies such as the Newburgh-Kingston, Grand Rapids-Muskegon, and the Evanston studies; (3) on the vital statistics from naturally fluoridated areas in which considerable numbers of persons have lived for generations as compared with the vital statistics from fluoride-free areas. Many fluoride-deficient communities throughout the United States have already initiated programs to correct this deficiency. As of Sept. 15, 1952, according to a current report8 from the United States Public Health Service, 427 communities serving a population of 8 1 2 million persons are now practicing water fluoridation. In addition, 299 communities serving 15,360,000 persons have approved this new public health procedure and should have fluoridation programs in operation shortly. Dentistry has added a new milestone in public health. With the expansion of water fluoridation programs it may be expected that dental caries will lose its dubious honor of being the most prevalent disease to which mankind is subject.

Newburgh-Kingston Caries-Fluorine Study. II. Pediatric Aspects-Preliminary Report.

EXTENSIVE epidemiological investigation has led to general acceptance of the inhibitory effect of naturally occurring fluoride in drinking water on the development of dental caries.1 Acceptance of this concept has led to the planning and execution of long-term studies of the effect of artificial introduction of fluoride into communal water supplies. If the promise of such studies as the one at Newburgh and Kingston, reported upon at this session by Ast, Finn, and McCaffrey,2 is borne out on more prolonged investigation, use of fluoride in communal water supplies may become a routine public health procedure affecting large segments of the population. Before any public health procedure can be recommended for routine use, every effort should be made, within limits of available techniques, to ascertain the safety of the procedure in question. Although there is no acceptable evidence that naturally occurring fluoride in the concentration used in drinking water as a caries-deterrent, exerts any deleterious systemic effects, it is desirable to make carefully controlled observations of children receiving fluoride

The current status of fetal death registration in the United States.

could be made in registration are indicated. Impending revisions of standard certificates make such changes particularly pertinent. limitations of fetal death data are discussed in this paper and improvements which could be made in registration are indicated. Impending revisions of standard certificates make such changes particularly pertinent.

HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE OF PATIENTS UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING SUPERVISION

FOR the last ten years there has been an increasing demand for health depart. ments to provide nursing care to people sick at home, especially for those with long-term recurrent illnesses. In 1961, in official agencies in Upstate New York,* 36 per cent of all reported nursing visits were made for this purpose. This service has grown somewhat like Topsy; the demand has come from the community, from physicians, families, hospitals, and other agencies. Leaders in public health and in medical care planning generally agree in recommending home care as a major plank in the platform of health services to the chronically ill.1 As health departments organize or agree to participate in home care programs and as agreements are made with hospitals to provide continued care at home for discharged patients, the health departments will be under obligation to deliver service as requested. It is obvious that more nursing personnel will be needed in the future. The extent to which health departments have met this demand has de-