RADIATION HAZARDS IN PERSPECTIVE (THIRD REPORT OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE ON RADIATION)

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · World Health Organ. Tech. Rep. Ser.

OSTI ID:4159496

Adrian, L

Radiation hazards are reviewed in relation to other hazards to life and health, on a global scale, with emphasis on those attributable to man-made causes. It is suggested that man-made hazards to health must thus be reviewed against the background of known or unknown causes of disease, coextensive with the whole field of medicine. A comparison of hazards from high-level exposures to radiation shows that overwhelmingly more injuries have been caused by toxic agents and accidents in general than by ionizing radiation. Since many more early injuries have been described as resulting from toxic agents than from radiation, this may have been due to more elaborate measures taken to protect workers against radiation hazards (even if correction is made for the numbers of persons at risk). The Committee attempted a quantitative examination of the risks by referring to actual experiences in industrial practice and conditions existing in man's environment. Exposure to low doses of radiation, and the resultant hereditary effects, cancer, and leukemia are discussed. It is concluded that there is a wide gap between the exposure levels resulting in consistent or unequivocally determined toxicological changes in organs, and the natural levels of certain toxic agents in the environment. After radiation exposures, cancer, leukemia, and genetic effects are presumed to occur in small proportions of individuals exposed to levels below those that regularly cause early pathological effects, and there is reason to believe that there is no threshold dose for genetically determined changes. It is, however, stressed that mutations due to natural background radiation can only represent a small fraction of the total number of spontaneous mutations. The Committee recommends that international standards of statistical reporting of effects, damage, disability, and death due to toxic materials and radiation be improved and their use extended to facilitate international comparison; epidemiological and genetic studies of the effects of toxic materials and radiation be promoted; and extensive research be stimulated on their mechanism of action, including their carcinogenic and genetic effects. (BBB)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-18-005161
• OSTI ID: 4159496
• Journal Information: World Health Organ. Tech. Rep. Ser., Journal Name: World Health Organ. Tech. Rep. Ser. Vol. Vol: No. 248
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BACKGROUND
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CANCER
CARCINOGENESIS
CHEMICALS
ENVIRONMENT
GAMMA RADIATION
GENETICS
INDUSTRY
LEUKEMIA
MAN
MEDICINE
MUTATIONS
PERSONNEL
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION PROTECTION
SAFETY
STATISTICS
TISSUES
TOXICITY
X RADIATION