careful workup including bone marrow study has failed to reveal any
conclusive evidence as to the nature of this blood dyscrasia. Review of
all of [claimant's] records with regard to radiation exposure in his
employment show no evidence of undue exposure at any time during his
employment here. However, it is to be remembered that he was disabled
by tuberculosis (resulting from his employment here} about !950 and
that he sustained a fracture of the femur, with many X-rays made during
ered a drug toxic to
been treated with chloromycetin currently consid
ore, consider the
theref
I,
time.
that
at
know
bone marrow not
result of the
direct
the
be
to
e
leukopenia while in government servic
administer
prior
the
on
ed
impos
super
ure
expos
radiation
decedent's leukemia
chloromycetin. Further, in my opinion, the
exposure and his
X-ray
of
years
many
his
of
effect
nt
represented thelate
As previously
ia.
leukem
c
death directly celated to the lymphocyti
here. Whether these could be considered to have any bearing | do not
en 1959 and
mentioned, it is also may opinion that the luekopenia betwe
as an X-ray
duties
these
to
d
relate
1962 and subsequent years is also
al.
hospit
.
.
.
the
for
cian
techni
The Bureau rejected the 1962 claim. The chief of radiology at the
found that decedent's
BEC’s Decision: In granting compensation the BEC
as an X-ray technician
yment
emplo
his
by
caused
proximately
its treatment during the course of his employment as an X-ray technician
know.
employing hospital recommended retirement and on April 6, 1962 claimant
retired and then became a real estate salesman. He was admifted to a hospital
in March 1969 primarily for incision and drainage of a right axillary abscess.
Claimant died April 7, 1969. The cause of death was broncho-pneumonia
secondary to aplastic anemia. A post examination confirmed a diagnosis of
chronic lymphocytic leukemia, aleukemic type with its complications.
The widow filed a claim in 1969 alleging that decedent's death was related
to lymphocytic leukemia caused by his employment as an X-ray technician
prior to 1962. Accordingly, the Bureau made a further study of all medical
records. Upon review of the records in the case, the Bureau’s Medical Director
noted that {contrary to medical evidence submitted in 1962) decedent had
been treated in 1958 with chtoromycetin which at that time was not known to
be resposible for bone marrow depression and its leukemogenic effects; that
the 1962 report of the hematotogist did indicate an infiltration in the bone
marrow of mononuclearcells that resembled lymphocytes and he said:
In my interpretation of this report this would represent the
pre-leukemic phase of aleukemic lymphocyte leukemia....tn my
opinion, therefore, the decedent’s demise was due directly to the
leukemia and its complications particularly the infectious aspects of
leukemia, including in this instance lobar pneumonia and feukemic
infiltration of the lung.
In addition, he noted the 1962 radiation expert’s report estimating claimant’s
chances of developing leukemia were | in 10 and that X-ray exposure would be
the cause of it. He further pointed out that he had found a causal relationship
between a blood disease and job related radiation exposure in another BEC
claim’ in which there was a similar factual situation. In finding a causal
relationship between the claimant's blood disease and his exposure the Bureau's
Medical Director said:
In summary, this decedent had prior X-ray exposure while in the
military service and has had significant exposure as a radiology
technician for the... hospital with the initial effect of leukopenia
resulting in his separation from government service in 1962. He has also
" See BEC Case No. 39, Studies In Radiation Injury-Vol, VJ, in which the claimant was
an X-ray technician and a co-worker in the same hospital.
136
leukopenia was
related to the lymphocytic
prior to February 2, 1962 and that his death was
feukemia.