package of cigarettes a day, or being overweight--that such a small number of

persons might be affected or die as a direct result was so small as to he
worth the risk.

Those who did not support the MPC,

or who believed in the

linear dose indicated that the argument reqarding the cigarette smoker was
not applicable, since he had a choice whether or not to smoke, whereas general
populations have no choice in the amount of radiation untake.
pointed out that from a moral viewpoint,

Additionally they

even one additional death, or a limited

amount of mutations was too high a price to pay for such testing.
The whole debate over MPC and linear versus threshold effect as it
related to testing was perhaps hest summed up by the testimony of Dr.
Selove,

Denartment of Physics,

Walter

University of Pennsylvania, who quoted from

a report by a committee on radiation hazards of the Federation of American

Scientists:
"The committee study of the available scientific facts has led to
two conclusions:
"First:
The added radiation hazard from continued nuclear weapons
testing at the present rate is no greater than that from other
radiation normally encountered . ,

"Second:

This small added radiation, from whatever sources, will cause

many deaths,
“The committee believes that both conclusions are scientifically
correct, and in no way contradict each other.
"Unfortunately, those who believe that we should continue testina . . ,
often emphasize the first conclusion and ignore the second,
Similarly

those who helieve that a test ban is desirable .
the second and ignore the first,

.

. often emphasize

The Committee helieves that both

statements must be taken together since either alone is misleading."
Whether or

not

low doses of

has not yet been proven.

radiation have a

The "jury,"

in a sense,

threshold or

is still out.

linear

effect,

There is

still not enough evidence to show that one or the other of the theories
is correct for somatic damage,

Sin

However,

40

for the hereditary effects of

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