Re: Chernobyl Death Toll? -Contribution by clean-up workers

[John Goldsmith <gjohn@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>]

In response to Paul Frame's communication about the distribution reported
for cGy to cleanup workers exposed after Chernobyl,during  the first few 
weeks there were frantic efforts to put out the fire and little effort was
put into dosimetry, then the Russian Army sent personnel and measurements 
began, along with regulations limiting exposure to 25cGy. As the 
situation got better "controlled" the likelihood of health-damaging exposures
diminished.  The data you cite on distribution of exposures is therfore
weighted toward the latter period when officially clean-up workers had less
than 25cGy.  The proposed exposure estimation algorithm includes the reported
dose, the time and duration of exposure, the type of work done, the 
occurrence of symptoms of acute radiation illness, any changes in blood 
counts and whether or not protective equipment was used.
	The figures Paul cites are (resemble...I don't have all my files here)
those from the Russian population of exposed clean-up workers, followed 
and reported on by the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences group in Obninsk,
headed by Academician A. Tsyb.  The World Health Organization estimates 
the numbers of exposed workers at over 800,000. We are in touch with the 
following other countries and their follow-up teams: Armenia, Belarus, 
Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Groups of exposed workers no doubt
exist in each of the Central Asian countries, formerly in the Soviet Union.
In addition a second Russian Federation program has been established in 
St. Petersburg. 
       A number of these groups have submitted abstracts reflecting 
their experiences for the meeting in September ,1995 of the Scientific 
Committee on Epidemiology in Occupational Health ( of the International 
Commission of Occupational Health)in Holland.I am trying to organize the 
session with the cooperation of the Program Committee.  We urgently need 
travel funds to allow these investigators to get together and pool
their experience.  Do any of you Radsafers know how to put your hands 
on travel Fellowships for such a purpose?
           John Goldsmith, Professor of Epidemiology, Ben Gurion University
             Faculty of health Sciences, Beer Sheva, POB 653, Israel 
Gjohn@bgumail.bgu.ac.il