By Russell Ade
Scientist
Batesville, AR.
November 15, 2008
Here in Arkansas with an extremely high rate of radiation induced cancers, the survivors of these cancers asked me to find the source of radiation that caused their cancers. Radioactive fallout from the 1950's nuclear weapons tests in Nevada and New Mexico spread throughout most of the nation. But the hottest spots were in the Midwest and Northwest, according to government projections.
The hot spots in ARKANSAS are BAXTER, BENTON, FULTON, INDEPENDENCE, JACKSON, MADISON, and WASHINGTON counties.
Data, was compiled by the National Cancer Institute as part of a federal study over a decade ago. It was the first to show high exposure rates outside Nevada and Utah. Some of the highest doses of fallout were received by milk drinking children here in Arkansas. The fallout contaminated the grass which the dairy cows ate, and the radiation was concentrated in the milk.
From earlier studies, exposure rates were highest in 12 states east and north of the Nevada desert: Arkansas, Missouri,Nevada,Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado. Thousands contracted radiation induced cancers.
Because the total exposure was tied to such factors as weather patterns and milk-consumption rates, some hot spots, were isolated. Here in Arkansas most of us know how a thunderstorm can rain on one side of the street and the other side of the street be dry. Also at the time of the fallout there were a lot of milk cows and dairies here in Arkansas.
Exposure in hot spot counties was average up to 160 rads for children. At 10 rads exposure the Federal government recommends people be monitored by a doctor. Adults averaged 16 rads, and neither children nor adults were monitored or informed of their exposure.
Not wanting to raise fears or anxiety or be paid federal compensation for the high exposure of fallout like the residents of Utah were, Arkansas with high exposure of fallout and other states were put on the back burner. Maybe the thought was if they don't know about it, by time they find out most of the cancer victims will be deceased.
The handling of these nuclear incidents was either ineptitude or extraordinary contrived efforts to withhold information. Probably both. Some of the first words the cancer survivors here heard from their doctors after being diagnosed with radiation induced cancers were, "Have you been exposed to Radiation"?I believe we need to notify all citizens in the affected areas immediately with full disclosure. Then test all schools, colleges, and public gathering places in the affected areas. Then start testing areas with the highest cancer rates, until all private and public land is tested in the affected areas. If nothing comes out of it, then it's a good exercise in Home Land Security.
Hot spots if any need to be identified and monitored. Perhaps if we do this we can end the cycle of multi-generational radiation induced cancers in these areas. I want to know is my home and property radioactive? You wouldn't want to put a child's sandbox or swing over a hot spot, and without testing we do not know.
If the fallout happened today in the 12 states that are considered affected with hot spots, and it was a terrorist attack It would be the worse attack on US soil in history, it would make 9/11 look small and would be monitored for decades, if not centuries. Again it is a remarkable demonstration of ineptitude to not test and monitor the residents or inform them of the events in the areas affected.
