ECUR
SUM.TZCT:
eS
Radiological yqazards From An ABD, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Rddiation
The re
The relative biological effectiveness of gamma
radiation,as determined in the mouse, is essentially one (1)
conpared with a 230 KVP x-ray machine. The RBE for man is not
definite.
Variations in dose rate from 1 minute to 40 minutes
do not essentially effect the biological response. The data has
not oeen determined for either extremely high dosages delivered
in a short period of time or for chronic dosages, except to indi-
cate that ffeld data at very high dose rates in the mid-lethal and
lethal ranze correlates well with laboratory calibrations at lower
dosage rates.
The effective energy of a residual field and its
corresponding Ane is under study at the present time,
Patnvlogical studies of animals at field tests reveal
no essential difference other than for species variation from the
pathological exanination of Japanese fatalities at Hiroshima and
Tagesaki.
The prompt reactions or immediately incapacitating
ef ects of vastly super-lethal dosages is unknown. Recent
la>oratory work will be discussed at the meeting.
Shielding afforded by military structures, including
fox holes, ig known or can be roughly calculated for any specific
structure.
t%. Chronic effects: No information has ceen obtained
urder field conditions. A numoer of R and D projects sponsored
by various agencies have allowed us to make general predictions
as to possible effects. All of these projects, however, have
‘seen done with animals and there is very little data available on
man. The NEPA estimates and those appearing in the Handbook on
ftomiec Weapons for Medical Officers represent best available
information.
In general, there seems to be a significant recovery
Vollowing radiation injury so that tolerances to integrated
chronic dosages ray ve significantly increased over those to
single acute exposures.
2.
Seta.
The measurement of the external beta hazard with currently
available instruments is difficult. Various estimates based on
laboratory type measurements and theoretical calealations have