Special to The New York Times
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 3– Dr. Francis A. Arnold Jr., former chief dental officer of the Public Health Service and assistant Surgeon General of the United States, died Friday at the Public Health Service Hospital here. He was 56 years old.
Fluoride Innovator
Dr. Arnold had retired in September from the top Federal dental post, which he had held since February, 1966, and was appointed coordinator of the School of Dentistry of the University of the Pacific.
In a tribute yesterday, Dr. William H. Stewart, the Surgeon General, said that Dr. Arnold was one of “a nucleus of four Public Health Service
scientists who pioneered in the study of fluorides and their effect on teeth.”
Dr. Stewart’s statement continued: “Today fluoridation has taken its place next to chlorination, pasteurization and immunization as one of the four horsemen of public health as a result of the experimental and epidemiological studies conducted by this group.
”These studies established that the addition of one part of fluoride to a million parts of water would reduce tooth decay with complete safety.
The contributions of these men will be long remembered.”
From 1953 to 1966. Dr. Arnold was director of the National Institute of Dental Research in Bethesda, MD.
He was born in Orrville, Ohi0. He graduated from Western Reserve university in 1932 and took his D.D.S. degree there in 1934. Two years later Dr. Arnold joined the Public Health Service. He became dental director in 1954.
ln 1953. he was president of the International Association for Dental Research. Dr. Arnold was also a member of the American College of Dentists, the Federation Dentaire Internationale and the Am1erican Association for the Advancement of Science.
Western Reserve awarded him an honorary Sc. D. degree in 1963.
Surviving are his widow, the former Miriam Eyster; two sons. Francis A. 3d and Richard C.: his parents, a brother, Elmer, and a sister, Mrs. Lucille Burchart.
A menorial service is scheduled for 9 A.M. on Friday at the Navy Chapel in Washington.
*Original pdf obituary online at http://fluoridealert.org/wp-content/uploads/arnold-francis.obit_.dec-3-1967.pdf
NOTE:
Also see 1962 obituary for H. Trendley Dean, Dental Scientist
Print 
PDF