The people's voice., 1956-12-07

durable bone-cancer or blood dis
orders.
DR.. Libby says atmospheric pollu
tion is not yet dangerous. Other scien
lists disagree. They point out that
Libby's standard of safety is the gen
erous one originally intended only for
use in laboratories or under controlled
conditions.
But, when an entire population is
exposed to radiation, the International
Commission on Pathological Protection
says the limit for safety has to be cut
to one-tenth. Moreover, the British
Medical Council has warned that, in
view of the proven sensitivity of grow
ing children to radiation, particularly
from strontium-90, the safety level for
them should be no more than a tenth
of that for adults.
In taking account of these more re-
cent and reliable findings, DR.. Evarts
A. Graham, a cancer research special
list and former president of the Inter-
national Society of Surgeons, said in
a letter to Stevenson, This would
bring Commissioner Libby's estimate
of the strontium-90 level in todays
children up to the amount which is
considered hazardous when applied to
large populations. The danger to be
feared is an increased incidence of
bone tumOr and other forms of cancer.
THREAT TERMED IMMEDIATE
Taking issue with the Administra-
tons claim that the problem is not
serious, DR.. Graham declared:
at is clear that even the present
burden of strontium-90 comprises a
public health problem of serious
magnitude. Even if tests (H-Bomb)
were suspended now, this situation
Continued faIlout) would persist es-
sentiaIly unimproved for 25 years."
Some 275 scientists rushed forward
in support of StevensOns plea to stop
H-BOmb tests Many, including DR..
Ralph Z. Lapp, nuclear physicist and
former scientific advisor to the War
general staff, denied that |
the ban would play into the hands of
the Soviet Union. we could detect |
any large explosion" said Lapp, 'and |
YOU don't get behind by a single test"
SHOULD BAN H-BOMBS
DR.. William F. Neuman, University
If Rochester bone research specialist,
stated that H-Bomb tests should be
stopped until scientists can find out
low much radioactive strontium is
"Ap oD+iro ooDoro +iOu nav ba
uined," he said, warning that 'the
world is much closer to danger than
5 generally realized"
DR.. Linus Pauling, Nobel prize-win-
ing chemist at the California Institute
f Technology, publicly declared,
Even five roentgens decreases an in
ividuaTs expectancy by thr ee
lonths." He noted that some persons
l small Nevada towns already have
eceived an average of five roentgens
rom the atomic bomb tests so far" in
MS area.
At the risk of their jobs, 81 scientists
t the Aces Brookhaven National :
laboratory issued a statement urging I
Ill discussion and study of "the haz-
rds to the present generation of
The angry director, L. t
Haworth, disclaimed responsibility g
,r their action, saying the statement Y
was made by them as individuals" v
lARNS OF DELAYED EFFECTS P
DR.. William G. Cahan, Of Memorial
enter for Cancer, pointed out that, =
st as with the women who died from -
iinting radium salts on watch dials,
, the effects of strontium-90 ON hui =
an life may require years to mani
st themselves and are often IRE
,rsible." Meanwhile, he, too, says, =,
We should suspend large-scale radio
tive enterprises" !5
Dairy farmers are greatly concerned U
disclosures showing that their pas U
res and milk supplies are being u
lluted. After spending thousands OF u
liars on sanitary devices to assure u
high-quality food for in u
ats and adults, they now find that u
2 government itself is spraying their II