Re: Dose vs Regs cont'd

["Randy Ross" <RNROSS@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA>]

To: RADSAFE --INTERNET radsafe@romulus.eh

*** Resending note of 11/29/95 23:29
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>

Al, there are two weaknesses in your otherwise attractive argument.
The first is the self-serving statement that" we know much more about the
effects of radiation than we know about nearly any similar agent."
That may be your position about your knowledge, but I recall a long
history of such statements both before and after the realization that
radon may be making a major contribution to background radiation
exposures of populations.  What are similar agents?  I have heard
substance experts make the same claim for lead both before and after it
was realized that low level exposures of pre-schoolers can impair their
intellectual development. (Possibly the most costly environmental
expossure of the century)...........


What low levelexposures are you talking about?  Are you talking about a dollar
 cost?  If so how much was it?

.... I am currently involved in trying to better understand possible health
risks from RF (microwave) exposures, a form of radiation we seem to know too
little about.........

If you are going to complain about Al using the term "we" for his knowledge
then you shouldn't assume your knowledge of RF is something "we seem to
know too little about."

......So lets keep hubris out of the discussion, and admit that what we
 know may, and usually has been ultimately recognized to be, incomplete....

Unfortunately no knowledge is complete in an absolute sense, ease up a bit John

......... The second point is your use of health effect.  The customary
consideration in much of the thread is that cancer increases are the beginning
and end of radiation health effects.
This is biologically naieve, and operationally a big handicap.  There are other
effects on the hematological system, on immunology, on biological oxidants,
on reproduction, of many forms of radiation...........

Effects? Are you referring to detrimental health effects, healing health effect
s or just biological effects for which you don't know the health consequences?
Stop nit picking!