Letter in Press

["Jim Muckerheide" <jmuckerheide@cnts.wpi.edu>]

Friends, FYI. 



Regards, Jim

============ 



Microchemical Journal 

Letter to the editor 







Low dosage of radiation health benefit 



K. L. Cheng 



Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri¯Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA 



Available online 6 March 2002.  



Article Outline





	 References



With fascination I have read the book, Radiation Hormesis [1]. Recently, the work of Professor Peter Fong of Emory University on the same subject has attracted my attention [2 and 3]. It became obvious that most data concerning radiation effects of the whole body constitute exposures of animals to low doses of ionizing radiation, which fit the hormesis thesis and are incompatible with the zero thesis. Hormesis means that substances at low levels not only have no harmful effects, but also offer beneficial ones. It is not surprising that we receive small amounts of polio and flu vaccine shots for disease prevention, and that if we receive overdoses of the vaccine, we would be infected with these viruses. This means that it is a matter of doses. Professor Fong has suggested that a radiation dose below 30 times the background radiation level may be beneficial for our health. Based on his statistical correlation between nuclear testing and cancer death rate, it clearly shows that n!

uclear fall out may not be as horrible as we have thought. On the contrary, previous nuclear tests have been beneficial for our health, so far as the decrease in the cancer rates is concerned. In the recent AP news [4], the incidence of cancers in soldiers who served in Bosnia and Kosovo was lower than the normal incidence of such tumors in the overall population. Regardless of political arguments of whether it is right or wrong to use radioactive materials in war, it is interesting to note that the AP news has confirmed previous hormesis reports. Several months ago, it also reported that low-doses of radiation were no risk to air crews [5]. 



A recent report that the metal structure of a big apartment in Taiwan contained Co60 with a radiation level 100 times higher than the background radiation. It was thought to be causing a high cancer rate in its residents. After two decades, on the contrary, the cancer rate for its residents had drastically decreased from such a high radiation background [6]. Interesting research has been taking place there. We should study which types of cancer are more effectively prevented by what kind radiation and which types of cancer are more resistant to the radiation. 



Based on scientific data and experiments, we may propose a device containing a suitable amount of nuclear wastes that can be packed safely in a lead box with a signal and an opening. This box may be installed on a ceiling or somewhere with controls so that we may be exposed to a safe amount of radiation for health, like sunbathing. The device will have an automatic opening and closing, time shutter, and other technical safeguards. Of course, there must be a need for extensive experiments on animals and humans before putting the device on the market. First, we must educate people to understand and accept that low level radiation has beneficial effects on the body. It is a challenge to accept such a drastic concept. We may have to change our regulations and recommendations on radiation safety policy. We do not expect such a change in a couple of generations. However, we are certain that it will become reality in the next century. This is a matter for the future, but we must star!

t its first steps now. This concept will lead to two benefits: one is for our health and the other is to solve our headache of disposing of nuclear wastes. Now, there are sun bath houses available in the city for public health, we may also have commercial nuclear bath houses for public health in the future under more controlled, safe management. 



Furthermore, we may extend this radiation hormesis concept to poison hormesis. For example, it is known that arsenic and selenium are considered to be poisonous, however, trace amounts of them are beneficial for our body. Large amounts of both aspirin and nitroglycerin are harmful for people, however, small amounts of them are popularly used drugs for saving lives in heart attacks. We should do more studies in this respect to determine the thresholds of poisons. The basic concept of hormesis is that small quantities of harmful substances may stimulate and strengthen our immune system. 



I do not expect that this unconventional concept will be welcomed by everyone, however, it should not be forbidden from further discussion. 





References



1. T.D. Luckey Radiation Hormesis, CRC Press, Boca, FL (1991). 



2. P. Fong , The ultimate experiment proving the beneficial effects of low level nuclear weapon test. BAPS 42 (1997), p. 1811. 



3. P. Fong, Greenhouse warming, nuclear hazards, and the future of America, www.peterfongbooks.com, 2001. 



4. The Associated Press, Italian see no link between cancer, depleted uranium, The Kansas City Star, March 20, 2001, A-10. 



5. Low-dose radiation no risk to air crews. Phys. Today (April 2001) 95. 



6. P. Fong, Personal communication, December, 2001. 

 



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