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On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 11:39:48 -0500, Peter Genzer <genzer@BNL.GOV> wrote:
> Radsafers,
>
> Follow-up on yesterday's Mangano press conference from Pottstown, PA's
> "The Mercury" daily paper. The Pottstown mayor has certainly made her
> mind up.
>
> Peter A. Genzer
>
> http://www.zwire.com/site/
> news.cfm?newsid=10542296&BRD=1674&PAG=461&dept_id=18041&rfi=6
>
> ACE: Study shows ‘potential link’ to radiation, cancer
===================
Hi all:
It seems to me that it is almost pointless to try and critique the fine
points of the propaganda campaign being waged by Mangano, Sternglass, et.
al. related to the so-called Tooth Fairy Project.
I think it is sufficient to state in general terms that this study lacks
any scientific credibility and that the individuals involved in this effort
such as Ernest Sternglass have been making claims about the hazards of
radiation in fallout for decades that have been discredited by the National
Academy of Sciences/National Research Council [NAS/NRC] as noted in the
1972 BEIR [Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation - "The Effects on
Populations of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation"] Report. In
the general conclusion by the NAS/NRC BEIR-I report about Sternglass'
inflammatory claims at the time about Sr-90 in the environment from bomb
test fallout, the NAS/National Research Council wrote:
"The evidence assembled by Sternglass has been critically reviewed by
Lindop and Rotblat[5] and by Tompkins and Brown [6]. It is clear that the
correlations presented in support of the hypothesis depend on arbitrary
selection of data supporting the hypothesis and the ignoring of those that
do not. In several regards, the data used by Sternglass appear to be in
error. One of the most vital assumptions in the model --that without the
atomic tests the infant mortality rate would have continued to fall in a
geometrically linear fashion --is without basis either in theory or in
observation of trends in other countries and other times. The doses of
strontium-90 used in the experiments referred to by Sternglass were of the
order of 100,000 times greater than those received by humans from all
atomic tests and were associated with extremely small differences in infant
mortality [8.7% in the irradiated vs. 7.5% in the control mice) [5]
In short, there is at present time no convincing evidence that the low
levels of radiation in question are associated with increased risks of
mortality in infancy."
[Reference for above quote: National Academy of Sciences/National Research
Council [NAS/NRC], Division of Medical Sciences, "Biological Effects of
Ionizing Radiation - "The Effects on Populations of Exposure to Low Levels
of Ionizing Radiation", p. 178-179; 1972
It is quite clear the the TFP is a crude reincarnation of the discredited
nonsense Sternglass has been grinding out since the late 1960s to a
gullible media and public about the hazard of nuclear test fallout and
nuclear power plant operations and environmental impacts. Mark Twain once
remarked that "A lie can race its way around the world, while truth is
still tying its shoes." Twain's remarks 100 years ago are even more true
today with the internet and an ever more gullible and lazy media.
It seems Sternglass, et. al involved in the TFP have just dusted off the
discredited techniques used in earlier anti-nuclear efforts by Sternglass
regarding Sr-90 in the environment [going back in time for many decades],
juggled some data about Sr-90 trends over time, or Sr-90 levels in an
isolated area, selected a few data points as to health effects in an
isolated area while ignoring other areas with the same level of Sr-90 with
the opposite health effect trend noted, added in a cancer case to add
emotional appeal which almost certainly has no relation to any radiation
environmental issue [a particularly odious and sleazy exploitation of a
vulnerable individual and their family], and managed to deceive the media
and certain politicians, who are too lazy to do any homework on the TFP and
Sternglass track record, or the claims of the TFP and those charlatans
involved in this crude PR/propaganda campaign.
Stewart Farber, MS Public Health
Consulting Scientist
Farber Research Institute [a la Mangano's Radiation and Public Health
Project!!]
farbersa@optonline.net
[203] 367-0791
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