RE: Dr.Gofman--I just wonder..

["Shackford, Hobart W" <hshackford@rwmc.org>]

To all Bombastic RADSAFER's:



With comments like this is it any wonder that there is a credibility or

"trust" problem on the part of the public where radiation safety "experts"

are involved? Anybody that would dismiss my search for the "facts" as an

"agenda" because I happened to present it in a manner that you find

unscientific does not deserve my respect nor my trust. I'll bet that Mr.

Ricciuti's agenda is a bit more personal than yours; like his health and

that of his family and friends.



Maybe I am naive but it seemed to me that Mr. Ricciuti came to this forum as

a fairly intelligent person seeking to verify and expand his database. It

seems reasonable that you would come to a forum with the name RADSAFE

looking for information on radiation sources and radiation health effects.

I'm sure there are other forums to seek information on the chemicals that

were dumped in the Niagara region so why fault Mr. Ricciuti on not including

the chemical contribution to heart disease, that is not the focus of this

list. Some of the exchange on the Niagara threads was constructive and

seemed to indicate that perhaps the "facts" were not so solid. 



Those of you who have read any of Dr. Gofman's books are articles must admit

that he presents a very convincing and logical case to those with little or

no knowledge of radiation. If Dr. Gofman is your only exposure to the topic

of radiation health effects, and it fits the public perception about

radiation, why should you question such an esteemed man's science? He

certainly has a lot of references in his books! Some of you have

constructively pointed out the faults in Dr. Gofman's science and the danger

of taking any "expert's" statements on face value, but a few of you have

been quite condescending and worse.



Maybe because I am not an HP but a Medical Physicist I am not so defensive

about claims that low level radiation is deadly. But from dealing with

patients receiving radiation I can tell you that the fear is deep and often

not rational. But if I remain calm and rational, and use the correct tone

and body language (no rolling eyes) I can usually allay those fears because

the benefits are obvious in my field. I feel for you guys on the

environmental side. It's a more difficult to present an insignificant risk

argument. In Mr. Ricciuti's case I don't see any benefits to having an

unknown quantity of a known carcinogen (radiological or chemical) in my

environment. I think "unknown" is the key word. In that respect I think that

Mr. King is correct in his suggestion to focus on the environmental pathways

rather than find "buried" reports form a decades-old super secret wartime

project. I am sure Mr. Ricciuti would be glad to see the studies Mr. King

suggested. 



So RADSAFER's, please be more patient, charitable, a little less bombastic

and follow Mr. Franklin's advice occasionally posted on this list (I think).



Hobie Shackford

Chief Medical Physicist

Roger Williams Medical Center

Providence, RI 02908

(401) 456-6528

Fax: (401) 456-6540

hshackford@rwmc.org





-----Original Message-----

From: High Plains Drifter [mailto:magna1@jps.net]

Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 10:12 AM

To: Vincent King; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

Subject: Re: Dr.Gofman--I just wonder..





Vince, your post on Gofman and Niagra Falls/Electromet is right on the

money.  It appears that Mr. Ricciuti has an agenda of some sort that is not

based on fact or science.



Dean Chaney, CHP



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