evolution of regs? -Reply

[FRAMEP@ORAU.GOV]

Melissa Woo wrote:
>Does anyone know if anything has been written about the evolution of
>radiation protection regulations as they pertain radiation-producing
>machines?  (How did the regulations come about, how have they
>developed, etc.?)

An excellent report wrt the early days is D. P. Serwer's "The Rise of
Radiation Protection: Science Medicine and Technology. 1896-1935." It
was published by Brookhaven National Laboratory as BNL-22279.

A couple of relevant articles appeared in the monograph issue "The
technical History of Radiology " in  Radiographics, Nov. 1989, Vol 6
# 6. 

There is a bunch of stuff by Laurie Taylor. For example "X-ray
Measurements and Protection 1913-1964" NBS Special Publication 625,
1981 and "Organization for Radiation Protection :the Operations of
the ICRP and NCRP  1928-1974" DOE/TIC-10124 (Forgive the following
aside but despite the admittedly entertaining  comments to the
contrary, the NCRP and ICRP folk are highly qualified scientists,
they are not selected by bureaucrats, nor are they a cabal of
antinuke conspirators whose job it is to bury epidemiological studies
that don't show a link between cancer and radiation. The selection of
Charlie Meinhold, as president of the NCRP should indicate as much). 

Another good thing to get is  "The Legislative History of the
Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968" Its in two
volumes , pub 1975 by the FDA:  DHEW Publication 75-8033.

Best of luck

Paul Frame
Oak Ridge Associated Universities