Critique of British Medical Research Council The Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiation A Report to the British Medical Research Council The British Medical Research Council is a governmental body and was directed by the Prime Minister on 29 March 1955 to appoint a committee under the chairmanship of Sir Harold Himsworth to.review the existing scientific evidence on the medical aspects of nuctear: and allied radiations. . This report consists of eight chapters. The first four chapters deal with basic understandings of radiation and its biglogical effects, the fifth chapter with existing and foreseeable. exposures due both to peacetime uses of atomic energy as well as to nuclear detonatians in testing and in warfare, the sixth part with recommenda- 7 tions of permissable exposure and the seventh and sight Parts with pummaries and conclusions. Chapter I is an introduction to the report. | Chapter II discusses in simple terms the natume of radiation and its action on livirg cells. It deals with well known units, methods of measurement ami biological effects. . ge Chapter III discusses the effecta of radiation on the ‘pealth of the individual. It includes discussions of the early effects upon the Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the later development: ef an increased incidence of leukemia among the survivors, The British state they have demonstrated an increased incidence of leukemia in . patients with arthritis of the spine treated with x-rays. They cite also American statistics on the increased evidence of leukemia in radiologists. They conclude that radiations can induce leukemia byt do not quantitate the exposure necessary for such an effeet shorof large single doses as at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, NAS . There follows a discussion of radiation as an inducer of cancer anda conjecture that 1000r exposure to radon gas and its daughter produces induced lung cancer in the Schneeberg and Joachimsthal, mines, Paradoxically, they go on to say that there is no evidence that external x- or gamma rays can cause lung tumors in man. There is a discussion of radiation as a cayse of bom tumors drawn principally from the reports of eancer of bones in radium dial workers am individuals given radium therapeutically. is American data, Most af this They feel there is not much of a factor of gafety S ECTUOU 7 © JOUC SAVEMY OF SCIENCES |