We lost Jane Jones

THE man who led Glasgow's controversial bid to add fluoride to drinking water has died. Dr Bob McKechnie died suddenly just over a week ago while on holiday at Lake Annecy in France. Family, friends and former colleagues gathered at Paisley Abbey yesterday to pay their respects to a leading figure in the health of the west of Scotland for decades. Today Glasgow dentist Kieran Fallon, who worked alongside Dr McKechnie in the British Dental Association, paid tribute.
"You could not meet a nicer gentleman," he said. "Bob always showed respect to his staff and it was a great pleasure to work for him and with him.
"He was a giant of dentistry in the west of Scotland and he was well known throughout the UK and internationally due to his work on fluoride."
The ex-chief administrative dental officer for Greater Glasgow Health Board returned to the city as a consultant when plans were proposed to add fluoride to Strathclyde's drinking water in the early 90s.
He mounted a strong campaign in favour of the move to protect children's teeth but failed to win the backing of the public.
Strathclyde Regional Council voted against the move in 1993 and health boards have since been reluctant to raise the issue.
Dr McKechnie led Greater Glasgow's dental team from 1974 until his retirement in 1991.