Re: Genetic effects in humans

[Ruth Weiner <rfweine@sandia.gov>]

     Actually Chapter 2 of BEIR V  has a very good discussion of genetic 
     effects.  The frequency of spontaneous genetic defects in people is, 
     of course, very high (about 1/1000), even when you don't count the 
     relatively trivial ones, and it is difficult to see how we could 
     separate out effects of radiation exposure.  The BEIR V chapter also 
     has a good bibliography (albeit almost 10 years old).
     
     
Clearly only my own opinion

Ruth F. Weiner
Transportation Systems Department
Sandia National Laboratories
505-844-4791
fax 505-844-0244
rfweine@sandia.gov


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Genetic effects in humans
Author:  BSTEPHAN@mail.mcg.edu at hubsmtp
Date:    4/10/98 3:01 PM


Sandy provided us with the following 
Reuter's report:
     
Soviet-era nuclear tests in  Kazakhstan 
will affect the health of the local
population for centuries and
international aid is needed to ease the 
results of the deadly experiments,
Kazakh scientists said on Friday.
  ``It would take 300 to 350 years to
get rid of genetic
mutations caused by decades of nuclear 
tests,'' Aitkhazha
Bigaliyev, director of the Kazakh
Institute of Ecological
Problems, told an international
conference.
     
I thought there was no evidence of
radiation induced genetic mutations in 
humans.   I'd appreciate some learned 
comment.  Thanks.
     
Bill Stephany
Assistant RSO
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, GA 30912-7520
(706) 721-9832
fiss.bstephan@mail.mcg.edu