Chernobyl

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 20

Chernobyl

Sir, —The contention of an American, Dr Robert Gale, that the human costs of the Chernobyl tragedy may be offset by medical and political lessons (“The Press,” May 11) is sickening. In the face of the horrendous statistics quoted — 31 dead, up to 75,000 cancer deaths over the next 50 years, severe mental retardation of up to 700 children exposed in utero, serious genetic abnormality occuring in up to 10,000 people and carrying oyer •to future generations, he says that “Chernobyl has led us to some very exciting new strategies.” I guess Hiroshima and Nagasaki were pretty exciting, too, and then it was the turn of the nuclear victims of Rongelap Island in the Pacific to provide fascinating data for the Americans on the effects of radiation on human lives. I can hardly wait to see who-will be next to receive this great privilege. Pronuclear scientists should attend to their own brain cells first. — Yours, etc., JANE SEVERN. May 11, 1987.