Re: Why study baby teeth?

[BLHamrick@aol.com]

In a message dated 08/09/2000 8:20:25 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
norco@bellatlantic.net writes:

<< I live near Toms River, and there are cancer clusters there, clusters 
recognized
 by the US and New Jersey Governments. The question we are trying to answer 
with
 the TFP is - to what degree did the low level radiation emitted and leaked by
 Oyster Creek Nuke contribute to these clusters, especially in combination 
with
 the chemical pollution from Ciba-Geigy and other chemical companies. -
  >>

The fact that the clusters are "recognized" really has nothing to do with 
whether there's a single, identifiable cause or not.  Clusters exist, as has 
been pointed out, as an artifact of the statistical nature of cancer 
incidence.  One can "identify" a cluster, as in "wow, that's a weird 
aberration," without ever being able to connect it to some causative 
factor...In fact, I would expect that to happen...

It's my personal opinion that genetic "defects," causing certain 
sensitivities to cancer-inducers are the far more likely culprit for clusters 
in small, low-transient communities...but that's just my crazy theory.

Barbara L. Hamrick
BLHamrick@aol.com
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