56 EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION Table 4.10.—Characteristics of Available Data on the Hematological Effects of Penetrating Radia CHARACTERISTICS TAPANESE BOMBINGS | Numbers in groups.._} Adequacy of Controls Serial counts_.._.... Counting techniques* | Chance of bias due | to sampling tech- | large good no fair yes fair yes good yes good yes good large large large | small small no yes yes yes none none minimal none yes no trauma | yes | tion necessary | Species extrapola- | no Type of radiation.... gamma, | : some neutrons no ' yes no no hard X-rays, gamma no gamma, neu- trons, X- rays, betas Dosage estimation... poor good poor Body region. .._...- Total body Usually partial body Sublethal Total and partial body Sublethal and Single exposure. _-_.. | yes Dose rate....-....- | Instantaneous Dosage range. -_..._ | Sublethal and | lethal Geometry_..-_.--.- ' Narrow beam Depth dose curve ' Moderate fall / ! ; large very good small poor , (burns, etc.) LaRoR ANIM, small poor niques Additional LABORATORY AccI- | ExrosepMansHat- large fair “Normal” individ- | yes uals | Internal contami- | none nation CumicalRapio- off usually no ~5r/min. Narrow beam Variable yes Instantaneous lethal | Narrow beam Rapid fall off gamma, yes beta hard X-ra: to skin gamma fair good yes Varying ~5r/ hr. Total body; beta to skin Sublethai yes ~10r/min. Total body Sublethal a lethal Narrow bea 360° field Essentially flat | | Variabie; rapid fall off to flat *Same technicians for all counts; rigidly standardized techniques throughout, etc. 4.42 Comparison Wich the Japanese Hiroshima and Nagasaki Data Thelimitations stated in Table 4.10 apply to the Japanese low dose groups* E to H in particular, in which values given (Oughtersenet al. (12) and Le Roy (13)) are pooled and include individuals located at the time of the bombing *The Jupunese cusnalties were divided into groups A to H on the basix of degree of exposure us determined roughly by distance from the hypo-center and approximate degree of shielding. In groups E to H essentially ono mortality aseribable radiation exposure occurred in the tirst 3 or 4 months. such that they may not have received si cant exposure. Hence, while the patter change with respect to timeis of value, abs counts probably are high. The time cour hematological change in the people of Gre correspond most closely with these low exp Japanese groups in which definite sigr severe radiation exposure were present in individuals but in which essentially no tality occurred (initial hematological st on the Japanese terminatedat 15 weeks). eutly period up to approximately 6 weeks characterized by considerable variation in white count in both the Group [and Jap