Re: textbook correct?

[ALEX MITCHELL <HOSPAM@wnmeds.ac.nz>]

Date sent:  14-FEB-1997 13:40:13 


Franz Schoenhofer wrote:

>But my practical and pragmatic approach to this question can be summarized
>in one sentence:
>
>If it is so difficult, needs epidemiological investigations with thousands
>or millions of cases, millions of dollars every year for research and there
>is still no consent and no widely agreed proof for either opinion, then the
>effect cannot be significant. 
>
>Am I the only one who thinks like that?

Not at all,  that seems to be the prevailing view on radsafe.

But I think your argument points in the opposite direction from the
way you think it does.

Radiation is known by everyone to be harmful.   What you are postulating
is that small doses for some reason cease to be harmful.   But it would
follow from your argument that if all the effort put in to 
establishing a safe threshold has failed,  then surely such a
threshold does not exist?


Alex.



--------
Dr Alex Mitchell, Medical Physicist, Radiology Dept, Wellington Hospital,
                  Private Bag 7902, Wellington South 6002, New Zealand.

hospam@wnmeds.ac.nz           phone + 64 4 385 5849   fax + 64 4 385 5829