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T h e Atomic Energy Commission Atomic Energy Commlssion the last days,especially the New York Times of this morning with the headlinehuclear downpour hit ship during test a t Bikini" and that tt 28 Americans and 236 residents of Pacific islands berty t o address you again respectfully.- the result of contact with the ashes the injured fishermen is said: "None are i n dangerous condition apparentlg.Dr.Masao Tsuzuki said the men had suffered from secondary radiation burns.The others .*. had swellings of the hands and arms a s well as falling hair". I n an other part of the report I s spoken It is with relation to the reports i n the newspapers of r1 unexpectedly exposed t o some radiation" that I take the 11I n the N,Y,Times report at the end of it i s said:They were These incidents made me point again toa corresponbnce I ha6 the honour t o have with you,Dr.Dunham and I)r.Nebel of your ComI n his letter to me of July 10,1953 Dr.Dunham wrote: " The radioiodine released at the time of atomic explosions does not appear t o be a limiting factor as far a s the hazard from radioactive fallout is concerned.The actual amount of iodine released into the air is diluted to insignificant quantities from the standpoint of the physiological effects of iodine by the the It reaches the ground outside Dr.Nebe1 writing t o me inthe absence of l)r.lhnha-m a t July 27,53 said:' In order that no guess work be involved i n answering g6ur letter I have taken your letter to one of our physicists and he assures me that the best af modern science and the complete knowledge of what w e know today about atomic explosions adds up to mic explosion,this iodine, even i b t some of It were made radioactive by an explosion,would not constitute you may knovr,this study of fallout is being worked upon by some 300 of the best brains of this country involviog physicists,biophgs! cists and medical men; p As I m since 1931 studying the iodine content of the stir,lts influence on people sensitized by thyroid gland hyperfunction and the. refore its i-mportance i n relation t o the intake of iodized salt I the immediate test areae" o factual health hazard. As was trying since 1947 as outlined i n my letter LI
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PICA TINNY ARSENAL t o you and the two gentlemen mentioned above this my inte rest became more actual in relation to possible radioactivation of Iodine, contained i n the air and i t s difi'erent concentration f n maritime or continental climate,caused by any atomic bomb explosionoUnf'ortunately I have'nt the opportunity t o proceed i n these examinatlons and researches which even today have'nt been made. The recent incidents caused by radio-activated matter which i n all publications is rather indistinctly designated as'lradio-active 28 Americam and 236 residents of Paciaic islands should give 0. very ixnportant opportunity to analyse which kind of radio-activated matter has brought about these injuries as these 264 persons,I believe m e under medical care and observation of physicians and phgsicid%s connected with your Commission.It i s my strong belief, that radioactivated Iodine from the air isa very important factor Ln these unexpected events and respectfully I repeat t o you my appeal that scientific analysis of the air,the maritime as well as the contin en tal one should find the attention and the determination of the scientific bGanches of the medico-biological departments of your I would be very much obliged i f I would be furnished with the resplts of suchnresoarches and tan oxplanation what is undeytood by:&tomic ashes as no burnings Ln the a i r t o o k place or by atomic particles&involving that something grossly visible like snow o r raindrops were coming down charged w i t h atomic rernnants or matter what would also meen radioactivation of some contents of the air which can be radioactivated and again this,seems t o me points strone1 lg t o Iodine as the greatest conterLt of the atmospherdin organic substances o r anorganic substances permanently suspended i n the atI think this whole question i s of utmost importance for preventive measure o be taken by the Civil Defense which are now not exiof radioactive, injuries as Xrays %dim etc.that i n my opinion the statement of :kone are i n dangerous condition,apparently." at least i s very premature especially in relation to the reported spptoms of swollen hands and arms stnu falling hairs whfch appearing i n such a short time after the exposure are signs of a very severe damage and that therefore t h e prognosis of the recovery of these injured 23 fishermen is very dubious i f not absolutely wlfavorable. kay I add as a medical man and slightly experienced i n the coursE Accept the expression of my highest esteem.