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    "localId": "75722279",
    "label": "Report, January 23, 1928",
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    "id": "75722279",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Report, January 23, 1928",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722279",
    "collections": [
        "Safety Light Collection",
        "Records Related to Radium Dial Painters"
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    "seq": 3,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
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    "ocrText": "-3-\nmade 15 or 20 years ago, have shown that radium and radio active matter is to\nbe found in minute amounts everywhere in the workd, not only in ores but in all\nrocks, all earth, all natural waters, and in the air. Natural air everywhere\ncontains an easily determinable amount of radio active matters. Some 15 years\nago, working at the University of Chicago, I was able not only to detect, but to\nmeasure with fair accuracy, the quantity of radium emanation in as little as 4\ncubic feet of natural, out-of-door air. This work has since then been amply\nconfirmed by other reliable investigators.\nThe conclusion to be drawn from the evidence here cited is that slight\nor moderate exposure to radio active matter is harmless.\nFurthermore, if it is suspected or claimed, in any specific case, that\nharmful effects are being produced by exposure to radio active substances or\ntheir radiations, it is not sufficient to show that there is some exposure; but\nit must be definitely determined whether the exposure is great enough to cause\nnoticeable injury.\nThis fundamental distinction may need additional consideration, for the\nreason that exposure to radio active material differs in an essential manner from\nexposure to germs of infections diseases. Such germs are always dangerous in\nthe most minute quantities. Indeed, a single germ, brought into the body, may\nproduce the corresponding disease with results as disastrous as if the infection\nhad started with millions of such germs. The reason is obvious: under favorable\nconditions, germs multiply without limit, radio active matter never multiplies.\nExposure to radio active radiation may be likened to exposure to sunshine.\nA certain amount of such exposure is beneficial and even necessary for health;\nbut over exposure results in sunburn and excessive sunburn has been known to\ncause death. So it is with radio active radiation; a little is harmless; a great\nexcess is dangerous.\nWhat then is the dividing line that separates harmful radiation from\nharmless? That is just the question that still is attracting much attention\nfrom those working in this field. I doubt whether a satisfactory answer has yet\nbeen found. However, a few generalizations may be permissible. The region\nbetween dangerous radiation and harmless radiation is doubtless a broad one --\nthere is no sharp line of demarkation. The element of length of time of exposure\nis an all important factor. Also analogy would lead onelto expect that various -\npersons would not tend to be equally affected by equal radiation; and further\nthat good habits and good personal hygiene would favor resistance to ill effects.\nThe use of dental films offers a valuable means of discovering roughly\nthe amount of radiation in a definite location. Such tests must be made skill-\nfully and in comparison with suitable controls if they are to be of real value.\nBlood counts on persons subject to exposure are apparently the surest\nmeans of discovering the extent of the less obvious effects of radiation.\nComments on Dr. Drinker's Report.\nA. Dr. Drinker reviews 5 principal and 3 minor cases, specifying the"
}