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By Solveig Torvik ing health effects from operations a t the Hantord nuclear reservation listened to the experts yesterday and absorbed a toxic dose of west Laboratories scientist who is studying the Hanford workers, mid the panel she has been unable to document any significant ill effects attributable to radiation exposure a t the site. She said the studies. conducted since 1975. fail to show t h a t death rates among workers increase with increased exposure to radiation. "If you accept these findings a t face value, Hanford was a health farm." countered Dr. studies proved that prenatal X-rays to the fetus cause cancer in the child's later life. that there is no cancer risk trom low-ievel exposure to Hanford workers." Stewart told the state Deparrment i>t' Social and Health Services. told the p e l he had not been able to detect excessive cancer rates in the nearby In one "quick and dirty" 1979 studv in Franklin County, he found 28 mcer deaths. Statistically, h e should have found 37, he said. But mila am told the panel that he wants access t o hospital records for thyroid and pancreatic cancer treatments to help trace what is happening to peopie still alive who have been exposed to radiation. He now obtains his data from death certificates. ' , I Although officials from the Department of Social and Health Senices estimated Mondav that thyroid cancer-inducing iodine 131 doses to infants in t h e Pascn area were extremely high compared with what is now considered =e going to see a thing. The doses are so low." He added that people suffering from thvroid disease who have been treated with much more massive. direct doses of radioactive iodine do not develop cancer. Stewart said atter the meeting t h a t if there is now a tn-yroid cancer epidemic.in the state in the wake of the hjzh iodine 131 releases from :ne site durinq the !94Us. it might go undetected hecause there is no state tumor Thyroid tumors are treatable and are not normally expected to result in death, she said. Stewart, affiliated with Birminghham University in England. has studied Hanford worker data from 19U to 1974 but said she has been denied access by the US.Department of Enerv to more recent data used by Gilbert. rence said Stewwt's request for the data is Stewart cautioned the panel not to rely on Hanford contractors to determine what is - happening to the health of Hanrord workers. "It's not sate to leave i t in the hands of peopie wno are tn in z ro snow eL-idence ot very good housekeepinq" she said. Gilben said after the meetinq char Hanrorri WOI iiers "ha; r been cn ric:zed i JY inany sc-ientisrs wno have no :L.sociation with the Depanmrnt 4 ) : Enerq. The weight ot the evidence in the scientific community is on our