Measurements of the radioactivity of the cloud from the accident at Windscale Works (Sellafield, England) in October 1957: data submitted to the International Geophysical Year (IGY; July 1957-December 1958).

A fire in a nuclear reactor at Windscale Works (Sellafield, England) in October 1957 led to an uncontrolled aerial release of radionuclides. At the time of the accident air was sampled at various locations in Europe to monitor atmospheric pollution, and the opportunity was taken to measure the sampling filters for activity concentrations of iodine-131, caesium-137 and polonium-210 at the Harwell research establishment (United Kingdom); when it was not possible to perform measurements at Harwell, original measurement data were supplied. This programme of activity measurements was performed in the context of work by the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Radiation of the International Geophysical Year (IGY; July 1957-December 1958). The International Geophysical Year was an international programme of research into a comprehensive range of geophysical phenomena. The results of this measurement programme were originally reported in Harwell Memorandum AERE-M857 (1961) and this Harwell report is reproduced in this paper because of its historical interest and because it is no longer readily accessible to researchers.

A comparative assessment of major international disasters: the need for exposure assessment, systematic emergency preparedness, and lifetime health care.

BACKGROUND: The disasters at Seveso, Three Mile Island, Bhopal, Chernobyl, the World Trade Center (WTC) and Fukushima had historic health and economic sequelae for large populations of workers, responders and community members. METHODS: Comparative data from these events were collected to derive indications for future preparedness. Information from the primary sources and a literature review addressed: i) exposure assessment; ii) exposed populations; iii) health surveillance; iv) follow-up and research outputs; v) observed physical and mental health effects; vi) treatment and benefits; and vii) outreach activities. RESULTS: Exposure assessment was conducted in Seveso, Chernobyl and Fukushima, although none benefited from a timely or systematic strategy, yielding immediate and sequential measurements after the disaster. Identification of exposed subjects was overall underestimated. Health surveillance, treatment and follow-up research were implemented in Seveso, Chernobyl, Fukushima, and at the WTC, mostly focusing on the workers and responders, and to a lesser extent on residents. Exposure-related physical and mental health consequences were identified, indicating the need for a long-term health care of the affected populations. Fukushima has generated the largest scientific output so far, followed by the WTCHP and Chernobyl. Benefits programs and active outreach figured prominently in only the WTC Health Program. The analysis of these programs yielded the following lessons: 1) Know who was there; 2) Have public health input to the disaster response; 3) Collect health and needs data rapidly; 4) Take care of the affected; 5) Emergency preparedness; 6) Data driven, needs assessment, advocacy. CONCLUSIONS: Given the long-lasting health consequences of natural and man-made disasters, health surveillance and treatment programs are critical for management of health conditions, and emergency preparedness plans are needed to prevent or minimize the impact of future threats.

Report on the accident at Windscale No. 1 Pile on 10 October 1957.

A serious fire developed in the core of a nuclear reactor at Windscale Works, Sellafield, northwest England, which led to the release of significant quantities of radioactive material into the environment during 10-11th October, 1957. In 1957, Windscale Works was operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), and on 15th October it was announced by the Chairman of the UKAEA that a Committee of Inquiry had been established under the chairmanship of Sir William Penney to conduct an investigation into the accident. The Committee sat at Windscale Works during 17-25th October, interviewed 37 people (some more than once), and examined 73 technical exhibits. The Committee reported to the Chairman of the UKAEA on 26th October. The Report of the Committee formed the technical basis of a UK Government White Paper (Cmnd. 302) published on 8th November, 1957, but the Penney Report itself was not published, and was only made public (at what is now The National Archives, TNA, Kew) in January, 1988. The original Report of the Committee of Inquiry is reproduced here from a copy of the Report supplied by TNA from TNA File AB 86/25.

Consequences of the radiation accident at the Mayak production association in 1957 (the 'Kyshtym Accident').

This paper presents an overview of the nuclear accident that occurred at the Mayak Production Association (PA) in the Russian Federation on 29 September 1957, often referred to as 'Kyshtym Accident', when 20 MCi (740 PBq) of radionuclides were released by a chemical explosion in a radioactive waste storage tank. 2 MCi (74 PBq) spread beyond the Mayak PA site to form the East Urals Radioactive Trace (EURT). The paper describes the accident and gives brief characteristics of the efficacy of the implemented protective measures that made it possible to considerably reduce doses to the exposed population. The paper also provides retrospective dosimetry estimates for the members of the EURT Cohort (EURTC) which comprises approximately 21 400 people. During the first two years after the accident a decrease in the group average leukocyte (mainly due to neutrophils and lymphocytes) and thrombocyte count was observed in the population. At later dates an increased excess relative risk of solid cancer incidence and mortality was found in the EURTC.

[On a border of toxicology and medical physics--atypical radiation accidents]. / Na pograniczu toksykologii i fizyki jadrowej--nietypowe wypadki radiacyjne.

The paper reviews less known radiation accidents in the history, from deadly ones to those with short-term effects. Many of them were diagnosed with notable delay, particularly ones linked to lack of knowledge or criminal actions. In physician's life, the probability to examine the victim of radiation accident is extremely low, but still exists. Therefore an adequate amount of knowledge of radiation consequences should be provided in a training curricula of medical studies and medical specialization programmes, particularly those of internal medicine and clinical toxicology, also in ones of environmental protection, environmental health and medical physics.

Murder by radiation poisoning: implications for public health.

On November 23, 2006, former Russian military intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko died in a London hospital. Authorities determined he was deliberately poisoned with the radionuclide Polonium-210 (210Po). Police subsequently discovered that those involved in this crime had--apparently inadvertently--spread 210Po over many locations in London. The United Kingdom Health Protection Agency (HPA) contacted many persons who might have been exposed to 210Po and provided voluntary urine testing. Some of those identified as potentially exposed were U.S. citizens, whom the HPA requested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assist in contacting. CDC also provided health care professionals and state and local public health officials with guidance as to how they might respond should a Litvinenko-like incident occur in the U.S. This guidance has resulted in the identification of a number of lessons that can be useful to public health and medical authorities in planning for radiological incidents. Eight such lessons are discussed in this article.

[History of health management for radiation accident and disaster].

According to the chronological evidences of radiation accident and disaster in the world, we can easily learn the valuable lessons on radiation health effects and also a necessity of well preparatory and organized system and network of emergency radiation medicine. Especially countermeasures on emergency radiation medicine have been categorized simply into two groups: acute and chronic effects, and high-dose and low-dose consequences. Based on the identification of potential impacts on radiation health and environmental effects, referring the past accidents and disasters, comprehensive risk analysis including risk estimation, risk management and risk communication is really required for maintaining healthy lives and safeguards in the unavoidable nuclear age of the 21st century.

[Early medical consequences of the radiation accidents in the former USSR Territory].

The paper sums up the information on radiation incidents at the former USSR territory, which incidents are related to the human exposure of clinically significant effects. Within more than 60 years (since 1949), at least 356 radiation incidents accompanied by the clinically significant human exposure have happened at the former USSR territory, which has resulted to clinically significant health effects in 765 victims. This exposed cohort includes 348 acute radiation sickness (ARS) patients including cases aggravated by local radiation injuries (LRI). 407 victims were affected by local radiation injuries only. Totally, 71 radiation induced fatalities were observed within first 3-4 months after the irradiation. The maximum adverse effects as a result of accidental exposure of radiation incidents in the former USSR territory, had a place for professional workers whose work is associated with sources of ionizing

Nasopharyngeal radium irradiation: The lessons of history.

In the Netherlands, nasopharyngeal radium irradiation was started in 1945. The indications included refractory symptoms of otitis media with effusion and other adenoid-related disorders after adenoidectomy. It was considered a safe and effective therapy. Its use decreased sharply in 1958, following a worldwide media avalanche around the dramatic events in the treatment of a 5-year-old child in Utrecht, enhancing the widespread fear of radioactivity. This case history illustrates the powerful role of the media in medical decision-making.

Hematological aftermath of the radiation accident in Istanbul.

PURPOSE: The effects of radiation exposure are long-lasting. Long-term monitoring is imperative to diagnose late effects and improve our far-sightedness about possible events in the future. A radiation accident occurred in Istanbul in 1998 that resulted in mild to moderate acute radiation syndrome (ARS). In this study we aimed to investigate the changes in hematological parameters at the long-term follow-up of ARS patients. METHODS: Ten adults were hospitalized after exposure to a 60Co source. Seven were diagnosed as having ARS and had severe and symptomatic pancytopenia. All of the exposed people recovered following intensive treatment. Treatment was supportive with transfusion, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and anti- infective management covering antifungal agents. Patients were closely monitored. Nine years after the accident, the initial and follow-up complete blood count examinations and peripheral blood smears (PBS) were comparatively evaluated by an experienced hematologist. The hematological laboratory values of the patients on admission, after treatment, and nine years after the accident were documented and compared. RESULTS: Biodosimetric analysis revealed that whole-body doses ranged from 1-1.9 Gy. All subjects have shown complete recovery of the hematological laboratory values after treatment. All but one of the subjects showed complete blood cell recovery. The improvement of the blood cell count of the excepted patient stalled at a mildly reduced level and his bone marrow was still hypocellular nine years after the accident; however, no malignant changes were detected. Values at admission were significantly different compared with post treatment and present values of all patients. Post treatment and follow-up values were similar. One of the patients died of lung cancer. None of the patients developed hematological malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the recovery from ARS was complete after treatment. The small population, short follow-up period, and the relatively small doses resulted in no long-term adverse effects, as would be predicted.