Re: MERRY WIDOW HEALTH MINE

[JMUCKERHEIDE@delphi.com]

He also promised to notify all of us participants of the airing schedule (when 
it was to be 4 times in November, following a "prelim airing" in Oct). But it
might have been spiked in response to anti's after the original airing and
re-done to make people who were going to the mines look like dupes (which was
the original intent of the producer), while Mattingly found a credible group.
The Turner/Fonda network makes a routine of anti-nuke segments. I didn't hear
whether Mattingly looked up the medical studies in Europe that demonstrate the 
beneficial effects of radon balneology for a variety of conditions (which does 
not argue against long-term effects, but does question our "understanding" of
the biological role of radiation). I'll provide refs if anyone wants them, but 
they're mostly in German (trade for any translation notes?) 

Regards, Jim Muckerheide
jmuckerheide@delphi.com

>         If this was the program I believe it is (on which I was
> interviewed), the producer was Dave Mattingley whose telephone number at
> CNN headquarters in Atlanta is (404)827-3256. He promised to send me a
> tape but that was at least 6 wweks ago and I haven't received it yet. He
> said it might take a long time.
> 
> Bernard L. Cohen
> Physics Dept.
> University of Pittsburgh
> Pittsburgh, PA 15260
> Tel: (412)624-9245
> Fax: (412)624-9163
> e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu
> 
> 
> On Thu, 16 Jan 1997 a59114@generation wrote:
> 
> > Hello Radsafers,
> > 
> > I was watching the CNN programme 'Earth matters' earlier today and 
> > they had an interesting insert about a mine in Boulder Montana (?)  
> > called the "Merry Widow Health Mine" where people apparently go to 
> > expose themselves to the beneficial effects of radon.  People pay to 
> > spend several 3 hour sessions in the mine in the belief that the 
> > radon will cure them of various ailments including arthritis.  The 
> > programme featured various health authorities stressing the 
> > dangers associated with radon since it has been linked to lung 
> > cancer, but the patients were undeterred, with one woman stating her 
> > belief that this must be a different kind of "good" radon.  
> > 
> > I would like to use this as an example of people's confused ideas about 
> > radiation next time I address a lay audience, but I need more info.  
> > If anybody knows where I can obtain it will you please let me know at 
> > the e-mail address below?
> > 
> > Thanks and regards.
> > Gina Lamparelli
> > Chief Physicist Generation Nuclear Assurance
> > Eskom South Africa
> > A59114@generation.eskom.co.za
> > Tel: +27-11-800-5162
> > Fax: +27-11-800-5792
> > Standard disclaimer applies