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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FEBRUARY 10, 1969
<br />Be it remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, met in the
<br />Committee of the Whole in the Council Chambers of City Hall on Monday, February 10, 1969
<br />at 8:00 p.m., with all members present. The invocation was given by Reverend Kenneth Foulke,
<br />All Saints Evangelical United Methodist Chiirch. The meeting was called to order by Chairman
<br />William W. Grounds, who presided.
<br />ORDINANCE
<br />AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE WATER WORKS OF THE
<br />CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND INLAND CHEMICAL CORPORATION,
<br />SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN ASSORTMENT OF CHEMICALS
<br />FOR USE FROM FEBRUARY 7, 1969 TO FEBRUARY 7, 1970 IN THE AMOUNT
<br />OF $26,972.50.
<br />This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above Ordinance, proponents
<br />and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard thereon. Speaking for the ordinance
<br />Mr. John Hunter, Water Works Superintendent, Dr. Louis How, South Bend County Health Depart-
<br />ment; Mr. William Smurr, Technician for the Water Works; Dr. Charles W. Gish,Division Dental
<br />Health, Indiana State Board of Health and Associate Professor, Indiana University School of
<br />Dentistry; Dr. Edward J. Molenda, South Bend Dentist; Dr. Herbert Schiller, Physician.
<br />Councilman Allen questioned the cost increase of the fluoride. Mr. Hunter said the increase
<br />was due to supply and demand and that they have trouble getting it. Councilman Allen read
<br />a letter received from the St. Joseph County Health Department from Dr. Louis How, This letter
<br />was in reply to the letter sent to him by the City Clerk, Kathryn L. Blough.
<br />February 5, 1969
<br />Mrs. Kathryn Blough, City Clerk
<br />City Hall
<br />South Bend, Indiana
<br />Dear Mrs. Blough:
<br />This is in reply to your request for information in regard to the effects of Hydrofluoro-
<br />silicic acid on children's teeth for the first year of fluoridation of the public water supply
<br />of the city of South Bend.
<br />As explained at the several hearings prior to the fluoridating of South Bend's water,
<br />the effects cannot be measured until the child has been exposed to fluorides for a definite
<br />period of his dental life. The base line is usually taken as age five years. Since a first
<br />year period has not elapsed, I cannot give statistics for South Bend, but, I am including
<br />figures for several cities in the northern part of the state that have been fluoridated for
<br />several years.
<br />The term D.M.F. is used in the table and means Decayed, Missing or Filled. The ages used
<br />are 6,7,8,9, and 10.
<br />The statewide average for non - fluoridated areas for D.M.F. in this age group is 1.92.
<br />Using this statewide average for comparison, Ilxesent the statistics for the following cities
<br />after at least five years of fluoridation.
<br />Valporaiso
<br />Reduction: 390/.
<br />Fort Wayne
<br />Reduction: 56%
<br />(after 10 yrs.)
<br />LaPorte
<br />Reduction: 53..9%
<br />(after 8 yrs. - .99)
<br />Elkhart
<br />Reduction: 420%
<br />Indianapolis
<br />Reduction: 50%
<br />(after 12 yrs.)
<br />Kokomo
<br />Reduction: 620/.
<br />(after 10 yrs. - .46)
<br />Within our own jurisdiction, we do have a small series from which we have derived some
<br />statistics.
<br />Walkerton and New Carlisle have had a fluoridation program since 1953. Three or four
<br />years ago we did a survey in those two areas, taking school children who had lived all of
<br />their life within the fluoridated water supply area, and, compared the D.M.F. factor with
<br />other school children in the non -city schools. The result showed a 30° /o decrease in D.M.F.
<br />for' -the..6,. '7,8-x'9; -. --and 10 year old children in the two towns.
<br />This series of statistics, I believe, gives a good representation of the benefits of
<br />fluoridation in cities, larger and smaller than South Bend.
<br />After a period of five years, a table of findings can be presented for this city.'
<br />I am sending copies for each member of the council, the mayor, superintendent of the
<br />water department and others that may wish" a copy.
<br />Sincerely,
<br />Louis E. How, M.D., Director
<br />St. Joseph County Health Department
<br />LEH/bt
<br />Councilman Allen also read the following letter from Mr. Wilmer H. Tolle, Director, Department
<br />of Public Welfare:
<br />
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