The findings, published in the 5 August 1983 issue of the Journal of the

Americal Medical Association, indicated several biases that affected the
study.

The authors noted, for example, that the index case was included in

the sample and that one of the leukemia cases was for a deceased Air National
Guard pilot whose presence at SMOKY was questionable (5).
In summary, the CDC 1983 study revealed an increase in the incidence of
leukemia and resulting deaths among a group of nuclear test participants
issued film badges at the NTS for the period covering the date of Shot SMOKY.
The incidence of other forms of cancer, other selected diseases, and the
overall mortality among the cohort was typical of that for the general
population.

The conclusion was as follows:

"Although uncertainty remains

about the exact amount of radiation exposure, the lack of a significant
increase after 22 years in either the incidence of or the mortality from any
other cancer and the apparent lack of a dose effect by units lead to the
consideration that the leukemia findings may be attributable either to chance,
to factors other than radiation, or to some combination of risk factors
possibly including radiation" (5).
8.3

ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY STUDY.
The CDC study discussed above concluded that the increased incidence of

leukemia among the "SMOKY" cohort may be attributable to chance or the result
of an unknown combination of factors.

A possible factor was that the radi-

ation doses might have been higher than reported since only external gamma
radiation exposures were considered.

One hypothesis was that significant

internal doses resulted from inhalation or ingestion of radioactive material.
As a check, a group of 19 veterans was selected from the SMOKY cohort by
the CDC to be sent to the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for special
testing.

The group was chosen on the basis of high film badge readings and/or

potential for internal exposure.
Signs of radiogenic malady.

None of the group exhibited any clinical

Three members of the group, however, chose not to

participate in the study.

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