Hematogical Effects on Heavily Irradiated Japanese Fishermen
STATE OF IRRADIATION AND ESTIMATED
RADIATION DOSE
N HEAVILY
‘SSHERMEN
The fishermen were irradiated in the following 3 ways:
(1) From the radioactive materials adhering to the body surface.
(2) Externally from the radioactive materials deposited in the cabins, on
the decketc.
.
(3) Internally from the radioactive materials entering various organs.
The diameters of the fallout materials, which were the powdersof coral-
reef fragments, ranged from 19 to 4604, mainly 100 to 400 4 (Krxvucni et al.,
1954). According to the results of radiochemical analysis of fallout on 26
March, rare-earth elements contributed about 50 per cent of the total radioactivity and uranium contributed about 20 per cent (Kimura et al., 1956). The
specific activity of the material was 0.37 mCi/g on 23 April.
osion was performed by
¢ Pacific Ocean.
At that
aru” was located at about
$ nearly 100 tons and 23
in fishing tuna they saw
ion several minutes later.
vbich continued for apreturned to their mother
have been injured by the
ed to the Tokyo Univer> First National Hospital
n both hospitals in May
ember 1954. After being
ar as possible on annual
i Of their occupations an
d
sible to get them all to-d several times (Miyos
ut
t al, 1956; Mryosyr
and
SHI and Kumatorr,
1964;
ERIALS
ts intensity was Sreate
st,
eyes open. Their foo
tallout.
By extrapolation
of these data, a value of 1.4 Ci/g was obtained as the specific activity at 7:00
a.m. on 1 March. The estimation of radiation dose, especially that from
internally deposited radioactive materials was difficult.
However, radiation from body surface was large enough to cause skin
lesions. External radiation dose was estimated as shown in Table 1. The
exposure dose for 14 days ranged from about 170 to 690 R, and nearly 60 per
cent of these doses was received on the first day. This estimation was based
on the results of the experimental reproduction of ash-fall, extrapolation of
decay curves of many places of the boat, and on detailed investigation of
Table 1 Estimated dose of whole body gamma radiation.
Subject No.
T-1
T-2
First Day
Total
240~290 R
210~-260
450~500 R
390~440
T-3
T-5
T-6
T-7
T-3
150~200
400~430
130~180
140~190
310~360
K-2
130~180
K-5
K-68
140~190
180~230
K-8
220~270
380~430
K-10
K-li
K-12
140~190
120~170
100~150
230~2&0
170~220
170~220
K-}
K-3
K+4
K-7
K-9
K-13
K-14
K-15
K-16
260~310* (360~410)
660~690
200 ~250
'220~270
520~570
190~220
310~340
200~250
140~190
120~170
230~280
310~360
250~300
420~500
140~190
120~170
230~280
190~240
‘
220~—270
300~350
340~390
550~600
370~420
510~590
210~260
190~240
* T-3 put the fall-out material close to his bed. Therefore about 100R should be
added in total.