Re: background vs man-made emmissions

["D. Kosloff" <dkosloff@ncweb.com>]

Two quotes from my anti-nuclear library.

First on the subject of natural gas and background radiation from "No
Immediate Danger, Prognosnis for a Radioactive Earth," by Dr. Rosalie
Bertell:  "Little or nothing is said about the steady increase in background
radiation - natural or otherwise - due to human activities."

'technologically enhanced natural radiation' (TENR) now ranks first as a
source of individual internal radiation exposure in the USA, . . . This TENR
ranking is due primarily to the lung dose from inhalation of radon dissolved
in natural gas and trapped in well insulated homes."  pages 87 and 88

Her discussion of background radiation is generally incorrect, but that is
her anti-nuclear position nevertheless.

Second on the alleged health effects in 1971 of natural radiation (directly
proportional to the effects of "unnatural" radiation), from "Poisoned
Power," by Dr. John W. Gofman and Dr. Arthur R. Tamplin:  "Since at sea
level we get approximately 100 millirads per year from natural radiation, we
can calculate the harm very simply by direct proportion. . . Therefore
natural radiation is right now causing . . . about 18,800 cancer plus
leukemia deaths each year. . . Therefore, for natural radiation, we
calculate 58,800 to 588,000 extra genetic deaths are being experienced each
year as a result of natural radiation."  This was for a US population of 200
milliion.  The increased effect of higher radiation areas is acknowledged in
passing.  page 296.

I believe that if you do the math you may find that almost everybody living
in the high-radiation areas of Kerala, India is dead.

Apparently the above doctors have changed their minds or been replaced by
other anti-nuclear experts in the northeast.

Don Kosloff dkosloff@ncweb.com
2910 Main St. Perry OH 44081



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