24

EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION

Tue CuinicaL Finpincs in a population acci-

dentally irradiated by fallout material from a
nuclear device has been presented. The more
seriously irradiated individuals had initial
symptomsof anorexia, vomiting and diarrhea
which subsided without treatment within 2
days. The same individuals slowly developed
granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia unassociated with secondary complications. The
only other manifestations of radiation exposure
observed were skin lesions and epilation, described in detailin Chapter III. The incidence
of infectious and noninfectious disease in the
more severely exposed groups was no greater
than that in the least exposed group. If, after
irradiation, the platelets and leukocytes fall in
« manner and to a degree similar to that observed here, it can be predicted that no hemorvhage or increased susceptibility to diseases
similar to those observed in this study will occur

and that no special prophylactric measures will

3

ern

co

be indicated. The use of prophylactic measures, however, should be evaluated in terms of
existing conditions. With the degree of hemopoietic suppression observed there is a possibility of increased susceptibility to more virulent pathogens than were present in this
incident.

co

References

Summary and Conclusions

. Dunham, C. L., Cronkite, E. P., LeRoy, G. V..
and Warren, 8. Atomic Bomb Injury, J. A. VM. A.

147, 50-54, 1951.
. Cronkite. E. P.
The Diagnosis, Prognosis, and
Treatment of Radiation Injury Produced by
Atomic Bombs. Radiology 56, 661-669, 1951.
. Bond, V. P., Silverman, M. S.,.and Cronkite, E. P.
Pathogenesis and Pathology of Post-Irradiation
Infection. Rad., Research 1; 389-400, 1954.
. Allen, J. G., Moulder, P. V., and Emerson, D. M.,

i]

2.9

J. A.M. A, 145, 704-711, 1951.

. Coulter, M. P., and Miller, R. W. Treatment with
Successive Antibiotics on Dogs Exposed to Total
Body X-Irradiation.
University of Rochester
A. EE. C. project report UR-276, 1953.
. Cronkite, BE. P., and Brecher, G. Protective Effect
of Granulocytes in Radiation Injury. Ann. N. Y.
Acad. of Sci. 59. 815-833, 1955.
. Barrow, J., and Tullis, J. L.
The Sequence of
Cellular Responses to Injury in Mice Exposed to
1100r of Total Body X-Radiation.
AdjfA Arch.
Path. 33: 391-407, 1952.
. Brecher, G., and Cronkite, E. P. Lesion of Alimentary: Tract of Dogs Exposed to 300-3000r Whole
Body X-ray. Amer. J. Path. 27, 676-677, 1951.
. Cronkite, E. P., and Brecher, G. Effects of Whole
Body Radiation. Ann. Rev. Med. 3, 1938-214, 1952.

10. Bond, V. P., Conard, R. A.. Robertson, J. S. and
Weden, E. The Six-Month Postexposure Survey
on Marshallese Exposed to Fallout Radiation. In
press.

11. Cronkite, E. P., Dunham, C. L., Griffin, David,
McPherson, S. D., and Woodward, K. T. Twelvemonth Postexposure Survey on Marshallese Exposed to Fallout Radiation. Brookhaven National

Laboratory report, to be published.

1955,

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