Sally
Golden touches on an important and relatively unknown subject in her
letter [“There Is No ‘Clean’ Water,” May 15, City Weekly]: the purity of
our public water supply.
We accept with little question that this
is provided to all of us with—apart from the single need to filtrate out
noxious dangers—no further adulteration. The reality is different. Our
water is also treated with an unneeded additive: fluoride, an extremely
dangerous chemical element. This addition offers no water cleansing
benefits and seemingly is included for dubious cosmetic purposes only.
This
substance has over many years been cited as having benefits as a means
of preventing tooth decay. That this opinion in itself is contentious
has not come into public awareness, and is largely ignored in the United
States. Europe and large parts of the world have by and large either
tried water fluoridation and rejected it, or chosen not to add such an
unneeded compound from the outset.
Few people realize just how
hazardous this additive is. Many years ago it was advertised and used as
a “rodent suppressor.” In modern parlance, it is a “rat killer.”
Our
water contains a known toxin; we should ask why. Is it that industry
has found a profitable way to dispose of its useless hazardous waste? Or
are there other disturbing themes, as Golden may be suggesting?
Malc Sheehan
Salt Lake City
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