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SeaARS SL Te gale
Critique of British Medical Research Council
The Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied
Radiation
A Report to the British Medical Research Council
The British Medical Research Council is a goveymmental body
and was directed by the Prime Minister on 29 March 1955 to appoint a
committee under the chairmanship of Sir Hareld Himsworth to-.review the
existing scientific evidence on the medical aspects
sof
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nuclear. and
allied radiations.
the a
This report consists of eight chapters. The first four
chapters deal with basic understandings of radiation and its biglogical
effects, the fifth chapter with existing and foreseeable exposures
due both to peacetime uses of atomic energy as well as to nuclear ..
detonations in testing and in warfare, the sixth part with recompenda-.
tions of permissable exposure and the seventh and eight parts with
summaries and conclusions.
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Chapter I is an introduction to the report.
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Chapter II discusses in simple terms the natune of radiation
and its action on living cells,
Jt deals with well known baits,
methods of measurement and biological effects. |
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Chapter III discus ses the effects of radiation on the health
of the individual. It includes discussions of the early effects _
upon the Jananese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the later devplogment:
ef an increased incidence of leukemia among tlie survivors.
Ths British
state they have demonstrated an increased incidence of leukemig in.
patients with arthritis of the spine treated with x-rays. They cite.
also American statistics on the increased evidence of leukemia in
radiologists,
They conclude that radiations can induse leukemiabut
do not quantitate the exposure necessary for such an effe¢et short. of
large single doses as at Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
NAS
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There follows a discussion of radiation as an inducer of
cancer and a conjecture that 1000r exposure to radon gas and its
daughter produces induced lung cancer in the Schneeberg and Joachinsthal,
mines, Paradoxically, they go on to say that there is no evidence
that external x- or gamma rays can cause lung tumors in man.
There is a discussion of radiation as a cayse of bons tumors
drawn principally from the reports of eancer of bones in radium dial
workers am individuals given radium therapeutically. Most af this
is American data. They feel there is not much of a factor of gafety
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COLLEGUONS
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Nazis
CNR AGAL EMY
OF SCIENCES
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