-7ingested and inhaled varying quantities of alpha particles during the atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, What is particularly worrisome is the fact that because film badges were designed to only record external gamma the internal absorption of alpha and gamma-emitters) (and x-) radiation, (along with beta, neutron, may have been significant. The study by Elkeles would certainly warrant an investigation into the possibility that alpha particle ingestion may be responsible for an excess number of cardiovascular diseases amonq atomic veterans, especially in view of our preliminary findings which indicate an abnormally high incidence rate of heart problems among our atomic veteran members. In a report issued by the International Atomic Eneray Agency (IAEA) in 1978, a Japanese researcher has noted a major finding concerning cardiovascular disease among Hiroshima females. Writing in the "Proceedings of a Symposium on Late Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation" March 13-17, (Volume I, Vienna, 1978), Dr. H. Kato has discovered a dose-response phenomenon with respect to cardiovascular disease in Hiroshima females: The rate of cardiovascular disease among the Hiroshima A-bomb survivors increases with dose of radiation. truly significant finding in two regards: (1) This is a Japanese women typically have a relatively low incidence rate of cardiovascular disease in the unexposed population, and (2) The new findings from the Hiroshima studies suggests that gamma radiation was responsible for more of the damage than was previously considered.