RE: Radiation as a teratogen

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@aecl.ca>]

> Busby, Bruce[SMTP:bab1303@doh.wa.gov] wrote on Tuesday, June 15, 1999 2:09
> PM
> To: 	Franta, Jaroslav
> 
> >In the Japanese atomic bomb survivors, 
> > irradiation in utero produced short stature, microcephaly, 
> > and mental retardation. 
> 
> I believe the information you referred to 
> from RERF dealt with parent's exposure and subsequent children (normally 
> what we look at for heritable effects, exposure to gametes). Dr. Gibbs 
> was talking about in utero exposure of fetuses, and the well documented 
> birth defects that resulted with doses over 15 rem. 
<><><><><><><>
I agree on both counts - we need to be careful about distinguishing between
mutations & teratogeny (though in RERF's case, cleft palate, club foot,
cleft lip,etc. are typical teratogenic syndromes, not mutagenic ones ) 
<><><><><><><>

> Note: I would not base to many judgements on medical terms definitions 
> (i.e., teratology) found in a Webster's dictionary.
<><><><><><><>
Right - sorry about that  ....but it seems to me that Kim Merritt looked up
the wrong words in the on-line medical dictionary (thanks for posting the
link !!) -- when I looked up "teratogeny," this is what I got, as I
expected, and in line with the Webster's:

teratogeny
<medicine> The formation of monsters. 
Origin: Gr, a wonder, monster + the root of to be born. 

monsters
A fetus or infant with such pronounced developmental anomalies as to be
grotesque and usually nonviable. 

....this is clearly different from slight physical & mental growth
retardation !

jaro


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