defecte. If LO r is taken ae the radiation dose per generation neces
nary to denble the present “spontanscus® mutation rate, the 10 r dose
per generation sentioned in the 4.A.5,.-1.8.0, repert as being tolarm
able though not harmless would add in the United States alone 50,000
tangible defects in the first generation and eventually after 20 te 3
generations about 500,000 per generation, 1.6,, about 16,000 per year.
A dome of 0.13 r to the gonads per 0.5, generation is estinated tobe
inourred from the present rate of weapons testing,
This would produce
in the first generation an additional 650 persons with tangible censtic
defeats, and if thie rate of exposure continued there would eventually
be 6,500 per generation.
There would be in addition about 5,000 embry~
onie and neonatal deaths, etdll-virths and childhood deaths in the
first generation and about 60,000 per generation eventually.
There
would alse be a larger but unknown mumber of minor intangible defects,
Were the dose received by the entire world population the seme (actu
ally it is lower) the figures would have to be multiplied by 20.
absolute mmbers they are large.
In
On the other hand, when ons compares
them with the 2,000,C0O tangible genetic defects which are now cecurring
in each generation and the millions of embryonic, neonatal deaths,
etili-birthe and childhood deaths from genetic causes, they are a
amall fractional increase,
The effects of medical x-rays could be
said to be adding eventually about 1/13th to the present U.5. total,
while fallout "at the present rate of testing” would add an increnent
of about 1/300tr.
yor