Evening star., 1950-09-26
Experts DispeI
Superstitions
About Bomb
Good Nursing Care
Held Able to Save
Radiation Victims
D. kI:.. nAS~nk
By Miriom Gutenberg

Three experts on atomic effect:
today knocked down some of the
superstitions that have grown ur
around the atomic bomb.
Lecturing to a capacity CROWD
of doctors, nurses and health Of
ficials, the speakers coupled then
descriptions of the bodily effects
of atomic weapons with assur-
ances that good nursing care coulc
save many victims of radiation
sickness.
Brig. Gen. James P. Cooney G1
the military applications division
of the Atomic Energy Commis-
sion. assured the potential civil
defense workers that they could
go into an area to evacuate in
jured with practically no risk 9t
seconds after an atomic air burst
Things To Do About 1t.
"Of course there is no complete
protection against an A-bomb or
any other weapon if you're in the
wrong place at the wrong time, u
said Gen. Cooney, 'but there are
things you can do about it,"
He mentioned wearing light,
loosely-f1tted clothing, putting on
a gas mask or even a handker-
chief to cover the nose and mouth,
when going into a contaminated
area, and washing up thoroughly
afterward.
Gen. Cooney mentioned the de-
featist attitude that has grown up
because coping with so many in
jured would require tremendous
supplies. He said even if rescue
workers did no more than evacu-
ate the injured, give them first
aid. food and shelter, thousands
can be saved.
PentagOn-and Soup.
Gen. Cooney also mentioned the
oft-discussed speculation about
what would happen if radioactive
material were dropped in the soup
at the Pentagon.
why drop radiation in the
generals soup?" Gen. Cooney
asked. you can buy cyanide and
kill him quicker"
AS for the disabling effects OF
radiation sickness, he said that q
return trip to Japan showed him
that those who survived radiation
sickness showed no disabling ef-
fects and some have had children
In fact. he added, those who sur
vived were better off than some
casualties he has seen at Walter
Reed Hospital.
Col. Ebert De Coursey, director
Of the Armed Forces Institute of
Pathology, declared there is no
special thing that radiation does
to the body that something else
could not do also. AS for sterility
he said that those who died of
radiation sickness were sterile, but
women survivors were able to re-
produce three months after re-
covering from their sickness and
men were sterile no longer than
five months.
While there is no specific treat
ment for radiation sickness, Col
De Coursey said. that does not
mean that more than so per cent
could not be saved by good nurs-
ing care and proper treatment o1
wounds.
Prompt Treatment Vital.
He emphasized that burns ano
blast injuries from an atomic
bomb should be treated promptly
on the theory that there may be
radiation sickness. too, and the
body must be given all outside
help possible in fighting infection
DR.. Lawrence Tuttle of the dI.
vision of biology and medicine
Atomic Energy Commission, de.
clared that there may be ground.
for cautious optimism that in the
not too distant future it may b.
possible to protect the individua
from what is now considered {
lethal dose of radiation.
DR.. Tuttle told the experiment.
now being conducted on animal.
where they have been given 9
double lethal dose and survived.
Today's series of lectures were
the second of a three-day course
sponsored by the District Medica
Society in cooperation with tile
office Of the Surgeon General Of
the Army.
"a - saR