JUNE
2002 - Dublin, California: Malfunction with fluoridation
equipment produces
fluoride levels as high as 200 ppm at local business. 23 people
are poisoned. The primary symptoms are stomach pain and vomiting.
(SOURCE:
Contra Costa Times 2002)
AUGUST 2000 - Wakefield, Massachusetts: Error
with fluoridation equipment leads to fluoride levels as high as
23 ppm. Local health officials claim no one is affected, however
news reports interview at least one resident with diarrhea and
dizziness. (SOURCE:
Boston Herald, 2000)
AUGUST 1993 - Poplarville, Mississippi: Fluoride
levels at local restaurant reach 48 ppm, perhaps as high as 200
ppm, after accident with town fluoridation equipment. At least
34 of the restaurant's patrons are poisoned. A study in Public
Health Reports finds that "The most common symptoms were
nausea (97%), vomiting (68%), diarrhea (65%), and abdominal cramps
(53%); 14 people (41%) reported headaches, four (12%) reported
burning sensations in the throat or chest, and one person reported
excessive salivation. None recalled an abnormal taste to the water."
(SOURCE:
Penman 1997)
JULY 1993 -- Chicago, Illinois: 3 dialysis patients
die and five additional patients suffer allergic reactions after
a malfunction in the fluoride filtration systems allows an unspecified
level of fluoride to enter into the dialysis units. (SOURCE:
Carton 1994 | Chicago Sun Times
1993 )
MAY 1992 -- Hooper Bay, Alaska: One man dies,
one man is airlifted to hospital in critical condition and 260
are poisoned. It is the largest reported fluoridation accident
to date. Symptoms include "nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain,
diarrhea, loss of appetite, headache, weakness, itching, numbness
or tingling of an extremity, shortness of breath (and) fatigue."
(SOURCE: News
Tribune 1992 | Gessner
1994)
FEBRUARY 1992 -- Rice Lake, Wisconsin: Residents
vomiting. Centers for Disease Control state that 150 water consumers
potentially at risk. A pump feed thought to have lasted for two
days leads to fluoride levels as high as 20 ppm. The Wisconsin
State Dental Director states, “To be harmful, exposure would
have to have been about 225 ppm.” This statement is incorrect,
as serious adverse symptoms have been reported as low as 50 ppm,
and death has occurred at 150 ppm. (SOURCE:
Carton 1994)
JULY 1991 -- Portage, Michigan: Approximately
40 children develop abdominal pains, sickness, vomiting and diarrhea
at an arts and crafts show at school. One of the city’s
fluoride injector pumps failed. Fluoride levels not determined
at the time, but later test at 92 ppm. (SOURCE:
Carton 1994 | See
study discussing this accident)
OCTOBER 1990 -- Westby, Wisconsin: Fluoride
levels reach as high as 150 ppm after fluoridation malfunction.
Four families suffer a week of diarrhea, upset stomach and burning
throats. The water utility supervisor estimates the fluoride level
to be ten times normal since it had burned his mouth. The elevated
fluoride levels corrode the copper off the pipes in area homes,
producing copper concentrations 70 times higher than the EPA recommended
limit. (SOURCE: Carton 1994)
MARCH 1986 - New Haven, Connecticut - Of the
312 persons interviewed four days after the accident, in the 127
households at risk, 18% report symptoms of abdominal cramping,
nausea, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, diaphoresis (profuse sweating),
and fever. Others experience rashes and irritation from bathing
and washing dishes. The fluoride levels peak at 51 ppm. (SOURCE:
Carton 1994 | See
study discussing this accident)
OCTOBER 1981 - Jonesboro, Maine - 57 students,
teachers and principal are taken to hospital after an accident
with school fluoridation equipment. 38 are administered regurgitants
to make them vomit the fluoride, and milk to counteract the poison.
Two are admitted to the hospital for several hours for fast heartbeat.
Other symptoms include nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. On
December 1, 1981, Jonesboro citizens vote 43-2 not to reinstate
fluoridation at the school, and to charge the Dept. of Human Services
for the emergency room bill of $1,137.24. (SOURCE:
Bevis 1981 | The Maine Paper
1981 )
AUGUST 1980 - Vermont - Accident with school
water fluoridation equipment leads to fluoride levels as high
as 1,041 ppm and causes an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness,
headache, dizziness, and diarrhea at a farmers market. (SOURCE:
Vogt 1982)
NOVEMBER 1979 - Annapolis, Maryland - Operator
fails to close valve of fluoride container; causing 1,000 gallons
of fluoride to be dumped into the water supply. 1 dialysis patient
dies, 1 suffers a heart attack, 1 develops long-term brain damage,
while others experience nausea, hypotension (low blood pressure),
chest pain or pressure, diarrhea, itching, flushing, vomiting
(blood tinged), weakness, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), profuse
sweating, shakiness, localized numbness, abdominal cramping, and
headache. Others not on dialysis experience nausea, headache,
abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and dizziness. Pepsi Cola files suit
for $1.6 million for damage to product, while a surviving dialysis
patient with resulting brain damage sues for $210 million. (SOURCE:
Bevis 1981 | Evening Capital 1982)
MAY 1979 - Island Falls, Maine - Fluoride machine
allows extra fluoride into water system while motor head is being
changed. "The exact water fluoride level was not ascertained
although a water sample at a manufacturing plant was greater than
10 ppm." 5 people suffer gastrointestinal illness."
(SOURCE:
Bevis 1981)
NOVEMBER 1978 - Los Lunas, New Mexico - Faulty
electric relay switch causes concentrated fluoride to be pumped
into water system. 34 people experience acute fluoride poisoning.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness,
muscle twitching and excess salivation. (SOURCE:
Bevis 1981 | Hoffman 1980)
NOVEMBER 1977 - Harbor Springs, Michigan -
A tree cut down by a contractor falls on power lines controlling
the water department's electrical signal lines... Approximately
189 lbs. of fluoride is accidentally pumped into the city's water
system.. Four people experience nausea or vomiting and weakness.
Had it not been an off-season for this resort town more could
have been poisoned. (SOURCE:
Bevis 1981)
APRIL 1974 - Manly County, North Carolina -
Fluoride feeder pump malfunctions, causing the fluoride solution
to be fed into the water system continuously while water pump
is not operating. 213 individuals experience nausea after drinking
orange juice mixed with water. 201 students and 7 adults vomit.
(SOURCE:
Bevis 1981)
JUNE 1972 - Northeast Bradford
Elementary School, Rome Pennsylvania - Records
show fluoride at 48 ppm in water and 230 ppm in coffee. 150 students
attending a school picnic vomit after drinking orange juice made
with the water. (SOURCE:
Bevis 1981)
