~2= CABINET PAPER—PRIVILEGED Property of the White House—Feor Authorized Persons Only Discussion The fundamental problem in establishing radiation protection guides is to allow as much of the beneficial uses of ionizing radiation as possible while assuring that man is not exposed to undue hazard, To get a true insight into the scope of the problem and the impact of the decisions involved, a review of the benefits and the hazards is necessary. It is important in considering both the benefits and hazards o! radiation to appreciate that man has existed throughout his history in a bath of natural radiation. This background radiation, which varies over the earth, provides a partial basis for understanding the effects of radiation on man and serves as an indicator of the ranges of radiation exposures within which the human population has developed and increased. The Benefits of Ionizing Radiation Radiation properly controlled is a boon to mankind, It has been of inestimable value in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, It can provide sources of energy greater than any the world has yet had available. In industry, it is used as a tool to measure thicknesg@, quantity or quality, to discover hidden flaws, to trace liquid flow, ar id for other purposes, So many research uses for ionizing radiation hi ive been found that scientists in many diverse fields now rank radiation with the microscope in value as a working tool. The Hazards of I6nizing Radiation Ionizing radiation involves health hazards just as do many other useful tools. Scientific findings concerning the biological effects of radiation of most immediate interest to the establishment of radiatiq nm protection standards are the following: 1. Acute desee of radiation may produce immediate or delayed effects, or both, CABINET PAPER For Consideration