Show How Much k Is T 00 Much I HAROLD N. N IMD MD Whenever any professional group roup makes use of a potentially potential potential- ly dangerous tool certain tain protective protective pro pro- standards must be he set within that tha group This is no nn less true true of oC the radiologists and their use of medical x ray This group of oC physicians to which I belong has l long ng taken steps to protect both p patient tient and staff from rom needless exposure exposure expos expos- ure to the high energy ra rays s 's with which they work Radiologists Radiologists Radiologists Radio Radio- along with radiation physicists have sevel several special committees dealing with the problems of radiation tion lion TilE THE MAXIMUM ui permissible sible dose considered safe Corthe for Cor forthe forthe the individual has been set by bythe bythe I the National Committee on Radiation Protection n. n T This h his i s group of radiologists radiation physicists and elated scientists lists nominated n b by various arious national national na na- na- na scientific societies to set setup setup setup up safe saCe standards has been active active active ac ac- ac- ac tive since 1929 They recommend recommend mend five live roentgens a year as the amount of whole body radiation rad rud- radiation which medical radiation workers and others may safely I receive during their careers A roentgen en or 01 r 1 is the unit unil o of measure for Cor radiations But Bul I read I T might get 51 just having teeth my x rayed a patient toK tole me the other da day Could I safely have my chest x-rayed x the same year elar Certainly Certainly Certainly and whatever else the doctor recommends F Five i v e roentgens to the jaw law has only I a small fraction of the effect of oC five live to the whole body A fatal dose would be as high as 1 or to the entire body in a short time BUT RUT BECAUSE there is still some question concerning the effect or of radiation upon the germ cells ceIls from which coming coining gener generations ons will be he fashioned extra protection of oC the thc sex glands of or any possible future parents is necessary With the coining g of or the atomic I age others have become concerned con about radiation InterI International International Inter Inter- I national conferences have been held and various standards and requirements adopted as to exposure exposure exposure ex ex- levels and protection But because the field of or nuclear energy is much younger than tha the field of radiology these groups have much more work ahead of them before belore the other uses of radiation can be he considered considered con con- as safe as the medical use of or radiation The associated with nuclear radiation radiation radia radia- tion lion are so controlled as to be considered negligible Every Everyday Everyday I da day the nuclear physicist is making I use of the beneficial I aspects of oC nuclear energy just justas as today's radiologist st makes use of the beneficial aspects o of I medical radiation for or the time betterment of mankind |