UNITED NATIONS
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
ON THE EFFECTS OF
ATOMIC RADIATION
(continued)
_
recommendations were desirabi they were also
impractical.
He spoke of the project being
initiated to look into the recording of medical
x-ray dose through the ICRP. The final report
of the Committee is expected by July 1, 1958.
Dr. Warren then asked Mr. Eisenbud to present his
impressions becuase of his activities during the
meeting. MR. EISENBUD commented on reports of
very high radiation backgrounds in India and Brazil and also of the
interest in the accumulation of data on the disposal of radioactive
wastes in the ocean.
A UN Scientific Committee resolution was passed
to accuntulate records on the industrial wastes but to ignore fallout
from weapons tests. DR. FAILLA asked for some of the details about
the high Brazilian and Indian exposures and numbers of people involved.
It appears as if there are hundreds of thousands in
Brazil and four million in India subject to high radiation levels.
DR. WARREN said that the Indian groups are quite clearly
divided between those of the fishing population living on river
banks and deltas where the monazite sand occurs and others living
further inland and occupying the farming regions.
This should
offer sound controls between two entirely different soil backgrounds.
A lengthy discussion followed in which mary suggestions were made
for obtaining more data on these exposures. A problem exists, how-
ever, in that the countries concerned would probably resent any
aggressiveness on the part of the United States to assist in obtaining
data.
DR. WARREN suggests that we can be of the greatest help in
the training of native scientists.
DR. FAILLA discussed the request by the United Nations for the
ICRP. to study the recording of x-ray exposures and that a first
report would be made in April, 1958 at the next UN Scientific Committee
meeting.
DR. GLASS pointed out that at the radioiodine conference
in Chicago, the recent estimate by the NAS Committee on exposure
received during thyroid treatment was found to be incorrect as far
as genetic effects are concerned because of the fact that most such
radio-iodine patients are not treated unless they are at least forty
years old.
This contribution to the 3 r estimated by Pullman and
Laughlin
would probably be very small.
DR. FAILLA said that
Laughlin and Pullman were increasing their estimate to about 5 r
but that the real value would not be known for some time.