exposure to tropical sunlight, potentially carcinogenic in ityelf, may increase the probability of
neoplastic change. The influence of the sub-lethal whole body exposure received by these
people on skin cancer induction is not known.
The transverse band of pigmentation that was observed in the fingernails has been pre-
viously observed by Sutton* in a negress who received 150 r of soft X-ray to the hands. The
Table 3.3)
~~
SURFACE DOSES IN REP REQUIRED TO PRODUCE RECOGNIZABLE
EPIDERMAL INJURY
Investigator
Antmal
Average
Energy (Mev)
Isotope
Surface
Dore (rep)
Henshaw, et al?!
Rats
pa
0.5
1,600 - 4,000
Raper & Barnes”?
Raper & Barnes”
Rats
Mice
Rabbits
Sheep
p?
pe
Pp?
sr”
0.5
0.6
4,000
1,600
Henriques”
Pigs
s*
0.05
20,000 — 30,000
Henriques”
Pigs
co
0.1
4,000 - 5,000
Henriques”
Pigs
Csi3t
0.2
2,000 — 3,000
Henriques”
Pigs
Sr*®
0.3
1,500—2,000
Henriques”
Pigs
y"
0.5
1,500 ~ 2,000
Henriques”
Pigs
y”
0.7
_ 1,500-2,000
Raper & barnes™®
Lushbaugh®
Morttz and
Moritz and
Moritz and
Moritz and
Moritz and
Moritz and
0.5
0.3
5,000
2,500 - 5,000
nature of the pigment is not known. Since it occurred in all exposed American Negroes, many
of the Marshallese, and none of the American whites, it is a radiation response peculiar to
negroid races. The pigmentation was apparently produced by as little as 75 r of gamma radia-
tion since the American Negroes developed the phenomenon in the absence of significant contamination of the hands.
3.8
CONCLUSIONS
As a result of this accident the following conclusions can be drawn with respect to beta
damageto the skin.
a. Serious skin contamination of personnel from fallout may occur many miles from the
detonation of a nuclear device. Resultant radiation damege to the skin may be the major ra-
diation effect under conditions where early evacuation from the field of radiation reduces the
whole body exposure.
b. Fairly extensive skin lesions resulting from fallout beta radiation apparently produce
little or no systemic or hematological) effects.
c. Decontamination of the skin must be promptto be effective because of the initial high
beta dose rate.
d. A latent period of a few days to three to four weeks may elapse before signs and symptoms of skin damage are evident.
%
Ss
Woo
45_.
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e. Clothing and/or any type of shelter gives almost complete protection to the skin.