[ RadSafe ] Radium history & body burdens

[Bjorn Cedervall]

I browsed through Muckerheide's website and found attention drawn
to Eben MacBurney Byers. This man had an estimated body burden of
33.5 microgram of radium (Byers is mentioned on pages 174-176 in
Claudia Clark's "Radium girls"). In other words about a factor of 300
higher than the lower range of body burdens mentioned in Clark's book
and where she discusses the early and extreme cases with semi-acute
or acute symptoms which appeared within 3-10 years of exposure.
 
I do not find it too surprising that more than another factor of 100-1000
was added (to 0.1 microgram) as a safety margin considering the risk
of cancer induced with a longer latency time and also adding an extra
margin for statistical uncertainties + a consideration of "acceptable risk"
for an individual.
 
My personal reflection only,
 
Bjorn Cedervall
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

> From: jmarshall.reber at comcast.net
> Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:05:46 -0400
> To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radium history question - internal contamination
> 
> 
> On Oct 28, 2011, at 4:17 PM, Steven Dapra wrote:
> 
> > Oct. 28
> > 
> > More about the canceling of research on radium-exposed persons can be found in an article by Jim Muckerheide (1995).
> > 
> > Steven Dapra
> > 
> > 
> > REFERENCE
> > 
> > Muckerheide, J. The health effects of low-level radiation: Science, data, and corrective action. Nuclear News. 38(11):26-34; September, 1995. Also see the editorial by Nancy Zacha in this issue of NN.
> > 
> 
> An online version of this article by Jim Muckerheide:
> 
> http://www.radscihealth.org/RSH/Docs/JM509.html
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
> 
> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the RadSafe rules. These can be found at: http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
> 
> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu