hazards existing at the moment of actual explosion.
On the other hand, personnel injuries caused by over~exposure to the
persistent radiol-:gical hazards produced as a result of the detonation can
very often be either prevented or mitigated through detection and avoidance
of those hazards,
In view of these facts, the detection and avoidance of radiological
hazards necessarily becomes the basic principle for all radiological defense
operations within the civil defense progran,
External and Internal Radiation Hazards.
One highly insidious characteristic
of many radiological hazards is the fact that they may exist either outside
of or within the human body.
In most instances, the source of radiation
Temains outside the body and causes injury through penetration of the tissues
from without.
Under these circumstances, the rays or particles are termed
external radiations,
Broadly speaking, injuries attributable to this type of
hazard usually become apparent within three weeks after exposure,
Qn the other hand, radioactive fission products, or “bomb waste", may
inadvertently enter the dody,
This usually takes place by direct methods, such
as inhalation or contaminatiom of open cuts or womnds,
It may, however, occur
indirectly, as is the case when humans eat fishes whose bodies contain radioactive
materials
picked up in feeding,
Once inside the body, the radiations from such
materials penetrate and ionize the tissues from within and are consequently
called internal hazards,
Since the amount of material entering the body is
usually small and its radioactive intensity comparatively low but of ten longlived, injuries attributable to internal hazards may not become apparent for
several years,
Limitations of Protective Clothing and Devices.
Insofar as highly intensive
radiations sre concerned, truly vrotective clothing is non-existent and there
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