Radiation Measurement and the Family

[Free Spirit <FRANK@rover.bsd.uchicago.edu>]

	I just picked up an interesting piece of Americana at a Garage Sale.

	It is a "Family Radiation Measurement Kit" made by Bendix corp. It
	consists of a pen type dosimeter charger, and two dosimeters,
	one with a range of 0-600 Roentgens, and the other, labled a
	Ratemeter (you expose it for 1 minute,) with sacales of 0 to 20
	R/min or 0-12 R/hr (for a t1n-minute exposure.)

	Along with it is a nice brochure showing the effects of radiation.

	15R  - Smallest dose detectable by blood count.

	50R  - Smallest effect detectable by labratory methods.

	100R - Smallest dose causing epilation (hair loss) in 10% of people.

	200R - Largest dose that does not cause illness severe enough to
		require medical attention.

	450R - Median lethal dose

	600R - Severe sickness due to gastrointenstinal tract damage.
		survival unlikely.

	Somehow I can't see anybody in the 50's being reassured by buying
	this device and sticking it in their fallout shelter. Any meter with
	a reading near mid-scale that says "sorry Charlie, you've had it,"
	isn't much help. 

	Oh yes, I Gave it 2 Gray of 6 MV photons, and it registered 350 R,
	so much for accuracy.

Frank R. Borger - Physicist     ___       How many physicists does it take to
Michael Reese - U of Chicago   |___       change a light bulb? Only one. 
Center for Radiation Therapy   | |_) _    According to Heisenberg, all you have
net: Frank@rover.uchicago.edu    | \|_)   to do is observe it, and you change 
ph: 312-791-8075 fa: 791-2517       |_)   it.