radiation crapulence. The estimated dose of radiation the fishermen received
during the following two weeks is about 200 r. It is therefore not amazing
that the bone and other organs suffered considerable injuries.
Next, we shall discuss the most important problem, namely, the deposit
of the radioactivity in the body.
The outline of this problem was given already when we referred to the
chemical analysis of the ash. We shall therefore begin here with the
survey of the animal experiments. The radioactive deposits in various
organs of mice are measured 12 hours and 8 hours after they were fed with
the Bikini ash (fission products) (fables 6 and 7 respectively).
It is thus
found that, though mst part passes by the digestive organs, some part is
absorbed and deposits selectively in the bone, thyroid, kidney, and liver
(Table 8).
When the fission product is given to the mice by hypodermic
injection, it is found to deposit in the bone, thyroid, kidney, and liver
in the same way as above and excreted through the digestive organs and with
the urine (Table 9).
ina
As to the patients, the radioactivity of the urine (15 cc) collected
- tube at the early dates was measured and the number of counts
was found to be several times the background counting.
The same result is
obtained for the concentrated urine. These are the evidences for the
deposit of the radioactivity in the patient's body.
The radioactivity was also measured by a scintillation counter placed
near the thyroid. In one case, the count was 8 times that of the background
on March 26 (see Fig. ) and 2 times on April 13.
From the half-life and
the absorption curve of the X-ray, it is presumed that [131 deposited in
the thyroid.
Similar conclusion is arrived at for other patients, too.
On the basis of the fundamental observation described above, we shall
discuss the clinical symptoms.
It is convenient to cite the following statement published on April 1)
by the clinical subcommittee of the Council for the Investigation of the
Atomic Bomb Sickness of the Department of Public Welfare in the names of
Yoshio
» the Director of Tokyo University Hospital, and Shigenobu
Kuriyama, the Vice Director of the First State Hospital of Tokyos
"On March 28, five of the patients of Bikini accident entered
the Tokyo University Hospital (seven in all because two patients
had been there already) and 16 patients entered the First State
Hospital of Tokyo.
Though the degree of injury varied from
person to person, all of them were found to be the patients of
the acute radiation sickness due to the radioactive ashes,
"The radioactivity inside and outside of the body was considerably
high at the time of their entrance to the hospitals.
decreased later on by an appropriate treatment.
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