You ask what do we think of fluoride? (December 22)

In the USA during World War Two, an investigator found dental decay scarce where a lot of natural fluoride existed in drinking water.

When the manufacturers of fertilisers heard the news, they chose, no doubt with Government consent, to pass their vast amounts of waste indisposable deadly artificial fluoride(a/f) through the bodies of the American people by adding it, refined and highly diluted, to drinking water, and to make fantastic profits! (UK manufacturers used to dump it in the North Sea?)

In the 1950s, the UK tried a few problematic schemes but the Water Fluoride Act 1985 gave power to AHAs to ask water authorities to supply on demand, but the latter could refuse due (I recall) to adverse public opinion and lack of compensation by Government for damages to health from a/f.

Indeed 28 NW Local Government Councils in NW representing the public, refused to have a/f, but this democratic right is now in jeopardy by our politicians.

Our Labour Government's Health Minister Tessa Jowell this year, when confronted with absolute facts of a/fs danger to health by a long experienced Indian consultant (where high amounts of natural fluoride occur in water) chose not to believe them, nor to investigate! Which also goes for our two Bolton MPs who are reported to accept a/f without meeting to seek local public opinion - all utterly undemocratic!

Mr W Brierley's letter (December 21) 'Freedom at issue' eloquently expresses how others choose to deprive us of our freedom of personal choice. All humans need pure water to drink, not polluted "medicated" water! This is a basic human right.

J Wilkinson

Fall Birch Road, Bolton

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.