Re: MERRY WIDOW HEALTH MINE

[JMUCKERHEIDE@delphi.com]

Bernie and group,

This is probably Lewis' book originally printed in the 60's (forget his first
name). It refers to some scientific issues, but is not a technical book. It
relates the early experience of people experiencing positive effects of visits 
to the mine, including some of the early letters and comments, leading to his
decision to allow visitors to the Freedom Mine, which was the first in the
area. It's been reprinted with the renewed interest in the health aspects of
the Montana radon mines (including the Merry Widow) by his family (its now run 
by his grandaughter). He tried to get scientific interest, using the book and
corresponding with people in the "radiation research community", but of course 
the suppression of any work on "beneficial effects" in effect in the 60s and
since prevented any serious work, as with workers at Oak Ridge, Argonne, and
elsewhere -- and to the support the "scientific" argument that "such effects
have not been proven". 

If anyone wants the reference,  I'll look up the book at home.   

Regards, Jim

> On Thu, 16 Jan 1997 JMUCKERHEIDE@delphi.com wrote:
> > 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?) 
> 
> ---There is a book in English about health benefits of radon. If anyone is
> interested, I can probably find it, but the Merry Widow mine would surely
> know about it. I haven't read the book and cannot endorse it.
> 
> > > Bernard L. Cohen
> > > Physics Dept.
> > > University of Pittsburgh
> > > Pittsburgh, PA 15260
> > > Tel: (412)624-9245
> > > Fax: (412)624-9163
> > > e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu