had a body burden of 0.5 Lg or more compared with CLINICAL, LABORATORY, AND RADIOACTIVITY 3 in 11 persons with lower levels. OBSERVATIONS Furthermore, 6 of the 8 persons with total nose counts exceeding Medical Observations 10,000 cowts per minute were in the former group. In Fig. 8 the urine radioactivity, the number of high nose counts, and the total activity of the high nose counts per month of exposure of 8 sub- jects in the Recovery Group are correlated with the amount of plutonium processed and protective measures used. There was a sharp rise in plutonium excretion in 6 subjects (Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 17); in each case, the rise was preceded by a high activity of nose swipes, suggesting considerable exposure to airborne plutonium. There is no cor- relation between the level of bedy burden of plutonium as indicated by the urine radioactivity and total activity in the nese, but this is not surpris- ing in view of the crudeness of the nose count technique and the inevitable false positives due . contamination. 42i) 5[-> el “Y subject #4 . 1 J l 1 > 15 Ww l 1 (2302) (13156) mee ~“ 5 = ~ 4 + Subject #6 L 4 Maximum permissible level for urine J 1 [ i —L (2804) Ty 4 Urine counts _ 7 ° ae a ease a a ese I i . . . Moximum permissible lavel for urine 1 L ds J T > 1-H Oe | te 10 —- | 1 246 No further exposure ————» (75) (2990) (466) Urine counts 7 1O;— = ; ; ; L r Subject #7 I 1 r 1 Urine counts 7 Pe co he | _ . N 4 5- Fig. 12 8. April i phat ase, urinalysis, cult blood. take n: and stool examination for The following roentgenograms were lateral skull, PA chest, AP pelvis, AP e knee and elbow, lateral of foot, AP of foot, an dent al films of right teeth. Subject #8 Moy ! June f O—sie— | ae—7 ate 15 —Pie~ 1B oie 6 pie 39k NSTie 15— Moximum permissible fevel, for urine 10 -§.— — £ T Subject #9 LL ° j a al, 1 Urine counts J i 5 — = L << 3K 4 4 2 9 Nofurther (2540) (15298) (21898) exposure I5— o ioe £ £ + . Urine counts L ee ee ee ee eee Moximum permissible level for uring’ we 1 i i i YT Subject #17 eee i (7090) Oo 15 Maximum permissible tevel eee n <|4-5e-? = ee L Urine counts for urine sp ~~ So -- Ao oS = ior i L L i i 1 4 i te Subject #18 Oo 3-—_—_ | ————_Nofurther exposure is No. high nose swab counts Urine counts or Maximum permissible level for urine T > 4 i | oe | ic 14 >e- 8 ic No further exposure ——-——9 i complete bloo Be ND Zsgaxienum permissible level for urine a 10}- March This included inter count, bleod calcium, phosphorus and alkaline p > 15h s- At first, a very thorough stu hist ory and physical examination, T 19. 4c 2 he 7 te [2 ae 16 te No further exposure —---—— = gq (10 O L (H25)) established. every 2 years was planned. — Urine counts Subject #5 Qo Cc was NN aoximum permissible level for urine 1 lor _ (financed by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commis TRS TT TT TTT ae — | 1 mem am Urine counts > 7 3 | te 2 i 9 2 54— No further exposure ——————> ist. (917) {9390)(2418) _ St 1953, a program for periodic examination of the: _ ie) - 1 reliable methodology, and one other died, more No further exposure ———_——"_ (2759)(774) : ip Subject #3 drop ped from the series as a result of the use : In 1953 and again in 1955, 22 and 25 subje 24 316— 1 te 8 HG 2OHIISS} toni um workers had measurable body burdens acco to the assay methods of the time, but 3 have be l 1 : l 2F© ™M i ! 1 i Amount of Pu handled by group t = Moximum permissible level for Urine Protective Equipment Used . Effa ctive K—— Filter poper respirators ——~———»e_ Positive pressure respirotors ———— Ordinary chemical, hoods ———>«——— Improved hood yentilation —— July March L 1945 4 Aug. L Sept, 1 Oct. J Nov. April May June duly Aug. Sept Oct Nov. 1945 Graphs for 9 subjects showing the urine count, number of high nose counts per month, and total Th radioactivity of nasal swipes per month (parenthetical figures) from March to November 1945. amount of plutonium handled by the Recovery Group and the protective measures used are shown in the last graph of the second chart, ab wat to In the early 1950's it was thought that 29