SECTION III.
GENERAL EVALUATIONS
The decision to conduct nuclear weapons tests for the defense of
our country was made at the highest level of our Government.
The Atomic
Energy Commission was charged with the responsibility for carrying out
this decision.
The AEC sought and followed the best advice both from
within and outside the Government in the conduct of new and potentially
hazardous operations.
The record, as summarized above, must speak for
itself as to potential risks incurred to the public in the fulfillment
of a mission essential to national security.
Of all the health aspects of nuclear weapons testing, that of
radiation exposure has received the greatest attention.
If, as the data
and their evaluation given above indicate, there has been a relatively
low degree of risk associated with past atmospheric tests (except for
the fallout on the Marshallese), then why has there been so much concern
expressed?
There are probably several reasons.
Firstly, whereas the potential radiation exposures are only a very
small fraction of those received from natural background sources, they
are, of course, additional amounts.
Secondly, in the absence of positive proof otherwise the prudent
assumption is accepted that for every little increment of radiation
exposure there is a corresponding increment of biological effect
("linear" concept) - rather than the "threshold" concept where a certain
total radiation dose must be received before irreparable damage occurs.
39.
ae