Ryan v. Attorney General - Fluoridation Case in the High Court, Dublin, 1963

This series comprises files of typed transcripts of evidence given in a civil action taken by Mrs Gladys Ryan of Dublin, concerning the legality of the Dail's Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960, which gave the Government power to enforce fluoridation of public water supplies wherever the Minister of Health considered it necessary. The case examined whether fluoridation was a desirable public health measure in the prevention of dental decay, or if it was prohibited by the provisions of Article 40 of the Eire Constitution. Evidence was provided by a number of experts mainly from the USA and also the UK, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Sweden, including Dr Wynne Griffith (see P.5/32/16), a member of the Society, chairman of the Fluoridation Study Group, 1959-1962, and County MOH for Anglesey, 1948-1962. Mrs Ryan was backed by various anti-fluoridation organisations in the UK and USA. At the end of the lengthy and costly hearing the Act was pronounced constitutional. Mrs Ryan's appeal to the Eire Supreme Court was dismissed on 3 Jul 1964.

A wealth of information relating to research into human and animal dental health and the effects of fluoride and water fluoridation is contained in these files. The series is arranged chronologically. Some of the original file covers, with references to particular pages of evidence written on them, have been retained. Full names of witnesses are not always included in the transcript. This is not a complete set of case transcripts.

1963

24 files