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- B4-
assuming that the origin of the sarcoma was included in this
tissue mass.
The negative results on the clavicle specimen are also
equivocal.
-The issue here is a small quantity of Pu-239
thet remained
Localized in the palmar area cf
the left hand.
This bone specimen indicutes oniy that the amount of system-
ically absorbed Pu-239 was too small to be detected in this bone
specimen.
None of these clinical findings are able to set aside the
strong possibility that
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'
result of the plutonium contamination.
sarcoma was a direct
The most likely course
of events is that a small quantity of the Pu-239 solution
{less the 0.01 milliliter) was deposited in the tissue below
palm.
This may have occured through a small cut
or via a sliver.
The body then reacted to this material as a
foreign body, and encapsulated it.
Eventually, a lesion
Similar to that discussed in Exhibit 2 developed.
This nodule’.
progressed beyond the precancerous stage to become an infiltrating soft tissue sarcoma.
The chances are some 50,000
times greater that the sarcoma Gevelcped in this fashion than
-hat it occured spontaneously.
I think that it is important to point out that all of the
information relevant to this case was available in 1963.
Had
been informed of the potential cancer risk
eubsequent to the incident, he could have informed his physicians.
AS a result they would probably have treated him more cautiously
and the tradegy could have been substantially mitigated.
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