EXTERNAL BETA EXPOSURE The + second principal emission from the fallout material is ae beta particles. These are essentially high speed electrons, of which- even the most energetic travel only a short distance into the skin. t (See the next section for discussion on Internal Exposures.) If large enough radiation doses are delivered by these beta particles, the skin may first show erythema (reddening) and then proceed to more serious damage. If a sizeable fraction of the body should suffer serious skin damage from these beta radiations, the results would be similar to those from thermal burns, i.e., serious injury or death. There is little doubt that "beta burns" can and have occurred. In the case of the Marshallese who were in the fallout from the detonation at the Pacific on March 1, 1954, most of the more heavily exposed showed some degree of skin damage, as well as about half of them showing some degree of epilation due to beta doses.2 However, none of these effects were present except in those areas when the radiation material was in contact with the skin, i.e. the scalp, neck, bend of the elbow, between and topside of the tees. No skin damage was observed where there was a covering of even a single layer of cotton clothing. In fact, the beta radiations eminating from the radioactive material on the ground should have been adequate to produce detectable skin damage (based on the amount of contamination present) yet this was not observed. These findings indicate the obvious benefits to be expected from (a) remaining inside during the time of actual fallout to reduce the possibility of direct body contamination, or if out-of-doors, to_ ae a eee ae ee os