—on is little reason to believe that its future development is possible. Ordinary clothing, however, not only provides protection against certain of the less penetrating radiations, such as alpha particles, but also prevents, at least to a degree, surface contamination of the skin with fission products which may unavoidably be picked up in contaminated areas, As a general rule, contaminated clothing should be removed and disposed of as soon as possible after leaving contaminated arees, Disvosable hats and gloves are desirable for use by those persons whose civil defense duties require their entry into radiologically hazardous areas in which they are likely to pick up contamination, While 1% may >rove desirable to provide certain civil defense personnel who are required to work in radiologically hazardous areas with face masks of a type effective in preventing inhalation of radioactive materials, their widespread use by members of the civil population is currently deemed to be neither necessary nor desirable, Linitations of Decontamination Procedures, Decontamination procedurés as they pertain to extensive land areas, buildings, ships or large items of special equipment have proved to be impractical, On the other hand, human decontamination, confined to the removal of conteuminated clothing plus thorough washings and rewashings of the face, hands and body with soap and water, often is both practical and effective, This should be routine procedure for personnel required to wrk in contaminated areas, Detection of Ionizing Radiations Requires Special Zquipment in Hands of frained Personnel, radiations, It is impossible to see, hear, feel or smell ionizing Their presence can be detected only by means of special equipment, such as ionization chambers and Gelger counters, operated by technically trained personnel. rot ARCHIVES