Re: Caldicott conference this weekend Sept. 26/27 1998

["Otto G. Raabe" <ograabe@ucdavis.edu>]

Sunday, September 27, 1998

This weekend I attended and represented the Health Physics Society at the
STAR (Standing for Truth About Radiation) Foundation Symposium "Recent
Studies of Low Level Radiation and Implications for Medicine and the
Nuclear Industry" held in rented space at the New York Academy of Medicine.
STAR is a Helen Caldicott antinuclear, anti-Brookhaven organization. There
were about 250 attendees. I was on the program as one of the speakers.

This was not a scientific symposium, but rather an anti-nuclear activist
meeting. Of the 26 speakers only 7 did not follow the STAR party line.
Alice Stewart (age 92) presented her view that the Atomic Bomb survivor
data underestimates the risk because many fetuses died in utero and weaker
people died of radiation effects from 1945 to 1950 before the biological
studies were begun by the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC). In the
opening session Helen Caldicott referred to the HPS as "dupes of the
nuclear industry" and claimed that children are being poisoned by Sr-90 and
plutonium emission from nuclear activities.

In my presentation I introduced the audience to the HPS, presented the HPS
Position on Radiation Risk in Perspective, and described basic information
about environmental radiation and some of the results of my own research on
radiation effects. I was somewhat outspoken during the discussion periods.
The reporters from the newspapers spent a lot of time with me.

This meeting honored Karl Z. Morgan (age 91), who gave a speech about the
history and importance of the field of Health Physics. At a special dinner
for speakers, K.Z. was give a "STAR" award, and he gave a very nice
acceptance speech emphasizing the importance of clean nuclear power. I
don't think Helen expected or especially appreciated these unexpected
contributions.

Fortunately, there were several members of the Greater New York Chapter,
Ralph Anderson of NEI, Jerry Puschin and Neil Nelson from EPA, some members
from Brookhaven, and several other HPS members present, many of whom asked
good questions and provided me with friendly faces in the audience and
important moral support. One of the "members of the Press" was Andy Hull
representing the HPS Newsletter. I really appreciated their presence and
support.

Otto

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