Re: Why a "pig"? -Reply

["DR MW CHARLES" <charlemw@novell1.bham.ac.uk>]

Maybe I can conclude the pig discussion.  The term pig iron 
originated I believe in the industrial Midlands of England during the
industrial revolution.   It was quite common at this time for 
ordinary folk - even in the city -to sometimes keep a pig and feed it 
with the household scraps and barely edible rubbish from the 
garden.   Crude smelted iron also  originally contained all kinds 
of rubbish such as residual limestone and coke (partly burnt coal) 
was referred to as pig iron.  Crude mouldings produced from the pig 
iron were referred to as pigs.   

Before I am reminded by Melissa that this discussion is getting off 
topic may I remind you all of the interesting fact that the pig is 
one of the best animal models for a number of radiation related 
effects - particularly in the skin.



> Date:          Thu, 2 Oct 97 09:13:03 -0500
> Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
> From:          Joyce Davis <JOYCED@DNFSB.GOV>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> Subject:       Re: Why a "pig"? -Reply

> 
> 
> >>> Paul Tyree <mrpmt@empire.net> 10/01/97 09:28pm  wrote:
> 
> The term, pig, refers to a mold, or a metal casting from a mold. Lead
> shields are almost always poured mold castings, and are, hence, pigs.
> >>>>>
> 
> Now the question is:  why are molds and casting called "pigs"
> (This may not be directly radiation-related, but it is technical and
> interesting)
> J P Davis
> joyced@dnfsb.gov
> 
Dr Monty Charles, Reader in Radiation Physics
School of Physics & Space Research
University of Birmingham
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England
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