In 1954, a House (U.S.A. Congress) Subcommittee held extensive hearings on a bill to protect the public health from the dangers of artificial fluoridation of public water supplies. The issue developed considerable controversy. Much testimony was given on both sides of the question. A very powerful statement against fluoridation was submitted to this subcommittee by Dr. Charles A. Brusch, Director of the Cambridge Medical Center, Boston, Mass. Attention will be directed in this release to the outstanding features of Dr. Brusch's statement.
"There are two kinds of fluoride:
(1) Natural - organic - not readily soluble. This is known as calcium fluoride... The saving presence of calcium in naturally fluoridated water serves to protect the human who consumes it from the danger of serious toxic poisoning from the fluoride ion present in the water.
(2) Artificial - inorganic - highly toxic, protoplasmic poison, freely soluble... This synthetic artificial fluoride is usually a byproduct of bauxite which is used in the manufacture of aluminium...
This protoplasmic poison affects every cell in the body: skeletal, muscular, vascular, nervous, circulatory, perspiratory, gastro-intestinal, genito-urinary tract and reproductive organs.
"Boiling of artificially fluoridated water concentrates the fluoride. In ten to twenty minutes of boiling, water which was one part fluoride to one million of water becomes 2 parts per million parts of water.
"Artificial fluoridation is fraught with dangers. Sodium fluoride is a highly toxic protoplasmic poison, 15 times stronger than arsenic, and it has radioactive properties. Here are some of the effects of persistent ingestion of artificial sodium fluoride:
Bone changes; blood changes; heart injury; increased cholesterol of the blood may contribute to high blood pressure and cause hardening of the arteries; Kidney troubles... Diabetes; Nervous disorders: it affects the cerebral area. Tests on rats showed a marked deterioration in mental alertness, accompanied by a state of passiveness and bewilderment; Eye injury; Mottled teeth - even in a concentration of 1 part per million mottling was caused.
(The above is made up of excerpts taken from a press release of Congressman Usher L. Burdick, which release came out, March 20, 1958. The release quotes the Congressional House Subcommittee investigation. The reprints of this release were furnished by the National Committee Against Fluoridation, located in Washington D.C. Ed.)