Explanatory Notes

“CHRONIC ENDEMIC FLUOROSIS OF MERINO SHEEP IN QUEENSLAND”

The three enclosed PDF documents reveal the nature of fluoride and some of its impacts on living tissue.

The research in these three documents is on natural fluoride, not fluorosilicic acid* currently under consideration for artificial water fluoridation of public water supplies in Queensland.

This research has been out of print for many years and was funded by The Queensland Government. It was undertaken without interference from multinational companies, and before artificial water fluoridation was under consideration. As can been seen on the charts, pages 11–16, in the first report, like India, China, Pakistan and much of the middle east, most of the artesian water in Queensland is not suitable for domestic use as it is high in fluorides. Although some of this water is very high in F. sheep do not live as long as humans, who will received a lesser dose under artificial water fluoridation but accumulating for 50 + years.

As most animals manufacture Vitamin C, in their livers, which gives some protection from F. damage, Humans livers do not have this function. On poor diets humans will therefore suffer more damage than most animals.

Highlights relative to humans are presented below-

Significant Extracts from:

THE QUEENSLAND JOURNAL OF

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Vol. 9.    – -    No. 2

JUNE,  1952

CHRONIC ENDEMIC FLUOROSIS OF MERINO

SHEEP IN QUEENSLAND

By J. M. HARVEY, M.Sc., Senior Chemist, Biochemical Section, Chemical Laboratory,

Division of Plant Industry.

Page numbers as per PDF listings

Page 11-16

Fluoride levels in Bores Throughout Queensland

Page 21

… The possibility of fluorine excretion in milk of cows depastured in endemic areas of Queensland and confined to artesian water containing 7 p.p.m. F. was examined. The level of fluorine in the milk did not exceed 0.25 p.p.m …

Page 24

…

(1)   Ewes on water containing up to 10 p.p.m. F. and irrespective of the quality of pasture or ration, do not excrete an increased amount of fluorine in the milk…

Comment:

Breast milk in humans is also low in F. even if mother is on high F. diet.

Nature protects its young from F. especially at the beginning of life when the blood brain barrier is not yet well formed. ~

Page 29

It has been reported that an insufficient supply or an imbalance of other inorganic constituents of the feed has been observed to influence the toxicity of ingested fluorine, while the addition of extra calcium phosphate to the ration has been reported to reduce the toxicity of calcium fluoride for sheep (Velu, 1933).  Peirce  (1939 stated that the toxic effect of fluorine is seemingly enhanced in poorly nourished sheep…

Comment:

This is why people on poor diets are also at greater risk when drinking fluoridated water or living in F. air pollution environments…

Page 47

(1)   There is some accumulation of fluorine in the kidney and thyroid.

Comment:

Same as humans, F. is antagonistic to iodine. (India and China) ~

Page 50

(1)   All groups show a considerable fluorine concentration in bones and teeth as compared with that found in the normal control sheep.

Comment:

Same as humans ~

Page 77

These experimental findings support field experience, which suggests that the teeth lesions plus the accompanying pain prevent the sheep from collecting and mastication the feed. Thus the nutritional level is reduced and in its turn the yield of wool. Further field evidence lies in the fact that actual wool defects were not recorded in sheep in Queensland prior to 1941, when White, Moule, and Seddon looked for and found the dental lesions of fluorosis…

Upper and Lower Jaws of a Normal Animal

Abrasion of Molars and Premolars of Sheep Using Water Containing 5-7 p.p.m.

Fluorine and Depastured on Hard Mitchell Grass Country.

Note the compensating wear on the upper and lower molars and premolars.

Page 81

Fig. 86.

Three Examples of the Effect of Fluorine Intake Through The Drinking Water on the Incisor Teeth of Sheep in Endemic Areas.

Left,          Teeth from and animal following irregular intake of unsuitable water during its first year of life.

Centre,     Teeth from a 6-tooth sheep on unsuitable water from an early age.

Right,      Teeth from a sheep subjected to intermittent intake from unsuitable water during its growing period.

Page 84

(6)      Teeth – Apart from the usual lesions associated with fluorosis, there are indications the fluorine in the drinking water delays the eruption of the incisors and produces badly deformed mouths. The elongation of the incisors and some abnormalities may be partly due to the type of feeding and mineral imbalance. There were, however, cases of delayed eruption and deformed mouths in groups 6 and 7, where the animals were on a balanced diet.

Comment:

Same as humans

In their paper entitled “The failure of fluoridation in the United Kingdom”, when discussing the final report of that U.K. Health Department study, Professor A. Schatz and Dr J.J. Martin stated in 1972:

“It is thus clear that fluoridation does not prevent or reduce tooth decay. Instead, it merely postpones the appearance of caries by about 1.2 years. Fluoridated children develop the same amount of tooth decay as their non-fluoridated counterparts, the only difference is that caries starts developing approximately 1.2 years later in the fluoridated group.“

This delay, at least partly, could be due to the teeth of children in fluoridated areas erupting (breaking through the gums) at a slightly older age, and therefore being exposed to decay-producing factors for a shorter period… (as in Sheep) ~

Page 85

(7)  Bones – The findings shown in the X-rays are not in keeping with those reported by other workers. All experimental groups showed rarification rather than thickening of the bones. This is particularly noticeable in the mandible, where the irregularities on the ventral border, formerly thought to be exostoses, have been shown to be due to a reduction in thickness of compact substance and the roots of the molars (and in some cases the premolars…

Page 89

4.  Pregnant ewes drinking water containing up to 10 p.p.m. F. do not transmit appreciable quantities of fluorine either to the foetus or to the lamb through the milk after birth. However, although this procedure is safe with regard to the lamb, field evidence does suggest lower lambing figures in such ewes. In addition, water containing 10 p.p.m. is certainly harmful to young breeding ewes.

Comment:

Breast milk in humans is also low in F. even if mother is on a high F. diet.  Nature protects its young from F. especially at the beginning of life when the blood brain barrier is not yet well formed.

Recent research suggests that the male of the species may not be so productive in F. environments.~

It was a shame that colour photography was not available at the time of this research.

Many people named and not named in the above research papers deserve due acknowledgement, and so to the sheep who gave their lives to this science.

It is true that some of the artesian waters are high in fluoride but it must be remembered that sheep do not live as long as humans who will be drinking lower doses over decades.

- Brisbane Anti-Fluoridation Association -

* Fluorosilicic acid

TYPICAL ANALYSIS:

Nickel                      1742.    ppm

Aluminium                    2.1 ppm

Cadmium                       4.    ppb

Arsenic                    4826.    ppb

Mercury                         5.    ppb

Chromium              3763.    ppb

Lead                             15.    ppb

Fluoride is toxic and corrosive.

It rates ‘four’ on a one to five scale – more toxic than lead, slightly less toxic than arsenic.

While the uranium and radium in fluorosilicic acid are known carcinogens, two other products of uranium even more carcinogenic are radon-222 and polonium-210, are also present. *

* see other entries on this web site.

R