- 22 iodine-131 in milk. One analysisl9- of extensive monitoring data concluded, "The air network, which should act as an ‘early warning' system, to warn us of approaching radioactive contamination, is of very limited value, if not misleading. The air network failed to give warning of high iodine-131 levels in milk in most places in the U. S. last fall." (fall of 1961). Paper studies have been made29- purporting to predict within a factor of two the dose to the thyroid based on estimated iodine-131 in milk, which in turn are based on gross total beta activity collected on gummed paper. Most of the uncertainties already mentioned and probably additional ones apply to this method of prediction. In brief, monitoring procedures, equipment and data, if properly employed, are useful for the purpose for which they are intended. To extrapo- late or reinterpret them into other forms of information is done so at a considerable risk 01 authenticity. It is recognized that some think more highly of these paper studies made to predict the iodine-131 content in milk from other data, but I believe there would be agreement on one point. If it is deemed essential to determine the iodine-131 content in milk then a good safety plan should provide for its direct and early measurement, ‘The same assertion applies to all other key radiological data. One final story. DOE ARCHIVES Even with the best laid plans and with a superior organization to carry them out, things can still go awry.