h.3r r in 30 years from natural background exposure and they recommen
lOr as the top figure for average exposure of the population as a
whole hefore age 30.
As to the hazard from strontium?9 the report states "if the
concentration in human bones showed signs of rising greatly beyond
one-hundredth of that corresponding to the maximum permissible
occupational level" they would feel that immediate consideration were
required. This figure is 10 times the highest they report in man
today,
The National Academy of Sciences report states "It Appears,
then, that strontium?0 is not a current threat, but if there were
any substantial increase in the rate of contamination of the atmos~
phere, it could become one.”
The conclusions are to all intents and purposes identical
to those of the National Academy of Sciences report.
1,
Adequate justification should be required for the employment of
any source of ionizing radiatior. on however small a scale. This
is not explicitly stated in the National Academy of Sciemes
report but is inherent in it.
2.
Dose levels to the individual -- 0.3r per week -- 200 r ina
lifetime for occupational exposw’es and no more than 50r the
first thirty years of life.
3.
lh.
No more than twice natural gackground from man-made sources for
the population as a whole.
NAS
The present and foreseeable hazacds from external radiation due
to fallout at present rate of testing is insignificant.
As to
internal hazards from strontium’) at its present level no detect-
able increase in the incidence of ill~effects is to be expected.
®Nevertheless, recognizing all ‘ae inadequacy of our present
knowledge, we cannot ignore the possibility, that if the rate
of firing increases and particularly if greater numbers of thermo
nuclear weapons are used, we ccild within the lifetime of some
now living, be approaching leve-.s at which i11 effects
might be produced in a small nuaber of the population.”
is a rather roundabout way of siying, "let's be careful,”
Se
This
a, All sources of radiation stould be under close inspection.
A personal record not only of coses of radiation received during
occupation but also of exposur:s from all other sources such as
medical diagnostic radiologys.ould be kept for all persons _
whose occupation exposes them .o additional sources of radiation.
The National Academy of Sciem:s report would seem to include
the whole population in its sinilar recommendations.
~hCOLLECTIONS.
RrpRawiceD FRO TE
THE
OF ThE ie OS OF
OF SCIENCES
NATIONAL ACAMEMY