Tumour in oilfield engineer

[liselin@planetx.bloomu.edu (Louis H Iselin)]

The following is posted to RadSafe at the request of Chris Martin.

*****************************************************************
>From: CJMARTIN@PHS.Med.UAlberta.CA
>Organization:  Public Health Sciences, U Alberta
>Date:          Thu, 5 Sep 1996 11:08:34 MDT
>Subject:       Re: Tumour in oilfield engineer
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>    I just want to clear up two areas of confusion regarding my 
>earlier post.    

>    Firstly, my posting was initially to an Occupational Medicine list 
>which Dr. Louis Iselin very kindly has crossposted to your list.  
>Therefore, the comments in the post are mine not his.  Also, since I 
>do not subscribe to this list, please cc: your replies to my email 
>address so Louis doesn't have to keep forwarding them.

>    Secondly, I am physician.  A standard part of my work is the 
>occupational history.  The extent to which a toxin 
>poses a hazard to human health is a function not only 
>of its inherent toxicity but the amount to which a worker may have 
>been exposed.  Therefore, in addition to describing the radioisotopes 
>this worker was exposed to, part of my occupational history on this 
>unfortunate man must include a description of his and his coworkers 
>work practices.  I presented it as it was described to me by the 
>patient.  The word "cavalier" was his, not mine.

>    The conclusion one might draw is that, given the work practices 
>described, this man had a significant exposure to various 
>radioisotopes.  Whether or not they caused his malignancy is another 
>matter and is the whole reason for my post!

>    I am sorry if some of you felt I was making a generalization about 
>the industry as a whole with a "note of condemnation".  I fail to see 
>how I made such a generalization which I think we all feel is 
>unjustified.  I described the practices of one group of workers, in 
>one place at one time as they were related to me by one 
>very biased individual. I was, until recently, otherwise entirely 
>ignorant of this profession.  Of course, it is those particular work 
>practices that we all condemn.

>    I am grateful for the comments of those who 
>replied since they describe (and contrast) other work experiences in 
>the same industry to give a sense of balance for the readers.  
>Furthermore, as a layman, they have provided me with further insight 
>into this fascinating job.  I simply want to clarify what I did and 
>did not say.

>Christopher Martin
>Resident,
>Occupational Health Program
>University of Alberta
>Edmonton, Alberta
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_____________________________________________________________________
Louis H. Iselin, Ph.D.           * Go Gators! *                   <*>
Assistant Professor of Physics (Health Physics Program)
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg PA  17815-1399                          liselin@bloomu.edu