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THE OREGON IAN States has reported releases of such magnitude. Allen W. Conklin, a Washington radiation office health physicist, said projected doses are corre- “It’s not surprising. given the amount of Scientists will have to do additional calculations, based on the estimated doses, to project how many extra thyroid cancers or other health effects could be expected to occur in the populaWant who lived in Pasco could have received tion, Con& A d . 2,300 rems of radiation to the thyroid from Hanford’s annual releases of iodine 131 today lodine 131, as a result of Hanford’s reported diS- amount to less than one curie. A curie is a meass charges that year. ure of how much radioactive material is presStandards widely in use for the last 20 Years ent. Iodine 131, a radioactive gas, can enter huplace the maximum permissible dose for a mem- mans primarily through ingestion of contamiber of the public at only 1%rems per year. nated foodstuffs and milk. The substance moves into the thyroid, where it can cells O r trigger tion report, covering 1945-56, carried many qual- cancer. cials wrote. “Given the lack of historical data mount of iodineral has a greater effect on cw. and the relatively primitive technology of dren. Children’s’doses alsowould be greater . . . ’ environmental measurement systems at that because they drink more milk than adults. Health problems can include an underactive tlOnS. ” thyroid, a condition that can cause mental des, said they would welcome peer review of Thyroid cancer is rarely fatal, and any health’ their work and’said the actual doses probably erects from the 1945 releases should largely 10 times higher or than the 2,300-rem after exposure, to state and federal figure. health officials. That figure represents the maximum dose Among other preliminary assessments. the calculated for a hypothetical Pasco infant in Washington report said: 1945 who drank nothing but the most contami- - A hypothetical Richland infant who drank The assessments were prepared as a begin- to the thyroid and a Spokane infant, 256 rems. A n h g for discussions this week by the Centers Richland adult in 1945 could have received a I for Disease Control Hanford Health Effects Pan- thyroid dose of about 370 rems, compared to 480 el, which is considering whether emissions for an adult in Pasco q d 50 for an adult in Spcfrom the Southeastern Washington nuclear kane. complex have contributed to cancers or other -In 1956, when Hanford’s emissions into the health problems in the region. The data on Columbia River peaked, the maximum calculatwhich the calculations were based came from ed dose to the entire body from mostly external more than 19,ooOpages of documents on many radiation sources - including fallout from ’ of the Hanford releases and on measurements of weapons testing elsewhere, natural background radioactivity in air, soil, water and food. radiation and Hanford discharges - would The documents suggest that Hanford have been about 2rems for a hypothetical memreleased into the air during its first decade ber ofthe public. The current maximum whole about 530,000 curies of iodine 131. Of that body dose considered safe for the public Is one- I amount, 340,ooO curies were discharged during halfrem per year. 1945 in the push to produce the world’s first However, that preliminary dose assessment itomic bombs. was based upon environmental measurement data taken with highly suspect instruments, ash. - An infant who lived ear Reservation in 1945 could a diation dose to the thyroid “It should be emphasized that this Is a p r e energy. Because a baby’s thyroid is The offcials noted many lingering uncertain- in babies. , . were within a p ~ ~ t i c ~ Yacceptable range of have revealed themselves within 20 to 3 years