The Occurrence of Fluorosis in Endemic Forms in Hyderabad State

All animal tissues and plants contain fluorine in very small amounts. It is found in soils, rocks and water. No convincing evidence has been as yet produced to show that it performs any useful function in animal nutrition, or that it is essential for animal metabolism. During the past 15 years, however, evidence has been accumulated to show that the prolonged ingestion of abnormal quantities produces a chronic toxic state, the earliest visible sign of which is called ' mottled enamel' of the teeth or chronic dental fluorosis. Its most common source is drinking water, and the level above which effects are produced is about one part of a million, equivalent to grain of fluorine to a pint of water. However, it is interesting to note that increased immunity to dental caries is supposed to be associated with an increased intake of fluorine (Wilson, 1941). The presence of fluorosis in the Madras presidency was investigated first in 1937 by Shortt and others. In 1940, Raghavachari and Venkataramanan recorded the wide distribution of fluorides in the water in the province, and they indicated the districts of Bellary, Kurnool and Guntur as an endemic area. These districts