RADIATION DANGERS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30187, 19 July 1963, Page 13

RADIATION DANGERS

“Soothing” Of Public

He did not share the views of persons like Dr G E Roth. director of the Dominion X-ray and Radium Laboratory, who tried to soothe the public and smooth over the dangers of radiation, said Dr R. S Bigelow a lecturer in zoology ait the University of Canterbury, in an address to the Christchurch

branch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament last evening.

Dr. Bigelow said the atomic age was here, and persons must live with it and not bury their heeds in the sand ”1 am not a radiologist myself. but I don't have to be to assess what a,re some of the dangers of radiation" he said "All we can do is sift through conflicting statements and sort out what we think is likely. "We do not know how many deaths there have been in the last 10 years because of fall-out, and we do not know the exact number of mutations and the amount of misery that has been caused.” he said. Experts agreed that radiation caused genes to mutate, usually harmfully Some persons felt that those who mentioned the dangers of radiation might cause widespread panic, but *1 am very much afraid this is not likely." He. was sure that if anyone had foreseen the gas chambers of Nazi Germany before the Second World War and warned of them, he would have been laughed at as a crackpot. After Dr. Bigelow had spoken, some of those present asked questions and spoke One speaker alleged that much information had been withheld by ”corrupt scientists and corrupt poMtotans ” and another suggested that Dr. Bigelow might be on the •‘security list" for speaking to CND audiences.