co RRARES
24
RADIATION STANDARDS, INCLUDING FALLOUT
Representative Bares. The number of machines that we have now
per capita has increased considerably since 1956.
Dr. Tayzor. Yes.
Representative Bares. That would really put a little significance on
this figure.
Dr. ‘Taytor. If the number of machines per capita increases you
might expect more radiation per capita. Actually it is less.
epresentative Barrs. So that gives some significance to your
figure?
Dr. Taytor. Yes. ~
Chairman Ho.irrerp. This would also be effected, if the gentleman will yield, with the improvements on the new machinesas against
some of the older machines which were a little bit generous with their
radiation. The results are obtained quicker under some of the new
machines and with less radiation because we have moresensitive film
than underthe older machines.
Weare not using the fluoroscopes because the alarm has been sent
out on these shoe fitting devices and to some extent on fluoroscopes,
so that your fluoroscope examinations are probably not as prevalent
as they were when their danger was not so well understood.
Dr. Tayzor. Yes.
Chairman Hoxiriep. .As J listened to this colloquy and these answers and questions, it seems to me that your saving word, Doctor,
is that it indicates that is a more likely figure. Certainly these are
not figures that we can rely upon, Dr. Taylor.
”
Dr. Taytor. They certainly are not.
Chairman Hourrrmxp, I think the record should show that they are
evaluations which indicate but which certainly do hot ‘prove this
lesser danger of medical or dental X-rays in proportion to background
radiation.
Representative Price. Would you proceed with your statement.
Chairman Horrrrepp. That is in the nature of a question.
Representative Price. I think he agreed to that.
Chairman Houirrvp. I do not think he has.
Dr. Tayxor. I do not think I would extend this quite to the depth
you have, Mr. Holifield. Certainly in my mind, this figure of 50
percent represents an upper figure nowfor the dose to the U.S. popuration from medical sources as compared with 120 percent figure
efore.
Chairman Hozirterp. That is quite a sharp reduction. That is
more than half.
Dr. Taytor. Sir, if you will recall from the Laughlin-Pullman
report, they gave a genetic dose figure of 4.6 rems distributed over30 years as the average per capita dose.
hairman Ho.trrerp. From medical and dental X-rays?
Dr. Tayuor. Yes,sir.
They specified an uncertainty in that figure of plus or minus 3, if
remembercorrectly.
Chairman Houtrreip. A factor of 3?
Dr. Taytor. The figure might have been as low, I believe, as 1.6
rems or then it might have been as high as 7.6 rems in 30 years. I am:
not quite sure if my memory serves me correctly but it was in that
range. This was the range of uncertainty of the 1956 estimates.
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