Plutonium toxicity

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

	The statement that plutonium is "the most toxic substance known 
to man" was repeated frequently by Ralph Nader about 1975, and I am sure 
that it appears in his book on radiation. I am fairly certain that the 
statement came originally from John Gofman, and may be in the 
Gofman-Tamplin book. My paper---Hazards from Plutonium Toxicity, Health 
Phys 32: 359-379; 1977--- cites 3 references to the statement in  Nucleonics 
Week, Harper's Weekly, and a National Council of Churches publication. 
Ted Taylor was also making similar statements about that time, but I 
can't cite a reference---it may be in the book "The Curve of Binding 
Energy" which was a series of interviews with Ted Taylor. 
	My paper gives a thorough analysis and rebuttal of the statement; 
for example, it gives quantitative comparisons with sarin, botulism 
toxin,anthrax spores, many chemicals, and short lived radioactive materials.