PMoe Xe
_ Radiation Burns - SANDSTONE
Reference:
Folder C2D91, TR338, 19 Radiation Injuries, Operation SANDSTONE,
LANL RECORDS CENTER.
Teams to pull filter paper from B-17 drones were as follows:
X=RAY
ZEBRA.
YOKE
ZEBRA
was slightly burned.
were burned on
~ accompanied samples’ from YOKE back to LASL. On 4 May he went to
LASL Health Division complaining of burns on his hands. His injury was mis-
diagnosed as bruises.
After ZEBRA (and serious burns to the other 3 people)
his hands were re-diagnosed as receiving radiation burns.
talized on 16 May.
All 4 were hospi-
was released 28 May as his burns were minor.
According to documentation prepared at the time, the gamma readings from their
film badges for ZEBRA showed the following:
.
- lv r
-2r
5.5 r
-2.lr
-4.2Yr
-~ 1.7 r*
(*YOKE shot.)
Calculations were done at LASL to estimate the beta dose received by those on
ZEBRA shot. They indicated that for a 90 minute exposure period the dose to
the hands was roughly 500 R beta, penetrating 2-3 mm.
Procedures to remove the filters were as follows:
1.
The filter paper was located in two filter boxes, one on top of the B-17
drone and one on the bottom.
Inside each box was one filter paper holder
(wire mesh) containing two pieces of filter paper.