circle. The significance of this kind of fallout radiation compared to normal X~radiation from a single source is that the fallout radiation has a greater effect than radiation from a single source. This is to say that the gamma radiation from fallout on Rongelap penetrated deeper and in many more places than a normal X-ray exposure would have. Thus, scientists calculated that the gamma dose received by the Marshallese and Americans was 50 percent more effective than a similar X-ray dose. To put it another way, in order to come up with what the dose in fallout was equivalent to in X-rays, had to be multiplied by 1.5. fallout radiation, times 10). the fallout dose This means that if a person received 10 rads of it was the same as receiving 15 rads of X-radiation (1.5 On this basis the best estimate doses in gamma radiation are shown below in what would be the same dose delivered by X-rays: Location Gamma Ray Dose Rongelap Ailinginae Rongerik Ucirik 175 4 69 xr 78 4 lér Equivalent in X-rays* = = = = 260 100 120 20 x r r r In a section of the 1956 report dealing with effects of radiation on the blood, it was stated that if the low levels of blood cell count observed was any indication, then “the effective dose received by the Rongelap people approached the lethal range."' The report also mentioned that experiments on the effects of radiation on dogs showed that an additional 50 to 100 rads when the blood count is at a low level (1000 mm2) can produce fatalities. The report also noted that although data on animals could not apply to man, and while human beings seem to be able to survive lower blood counts than 1000 mm@ that *From "Some Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Human Beings", p. 9 97 1O14 104