The Politics of Radiation Hazards in America, 1928-1970

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Americans have become increasingly concerned with the radiation they are exposed to in their daily lives. In the 1940's and 50's, x-rays were routinely used in dentistry, medical exams, even for the purchase of shoes| Routine x-rays are now greatly restricted and at considerably less dose than previously accepted standards. The construction of homes over uranium mine tailings in the West has enriched lawyers in the ongoing litigation. Radon seeping into the basements of homes, schools and offices from naturally occurring granite deposits in the East has caused a whole new industry for testing of radiation levels. Charges of release of radiation from government facilities has brought congressional investigations. This increased awareness of the hazards of exposure to radiation has come, in great part, because of the changing standards of exposure which scientists have established over the years. Dr.Whittemore, under this grant, will complete his study, started under an NSF dissertation support award, of the American response from the 1920's to 1970 to radiation hazards, particularly the establishment and later alterations of radiation exposure standards. This study is not an attempt to impose contemporary policy analysis but instead learn how, in actual practice, the scientific, political and ethical issues interacted. This history of radiation standards in the United States from the founding of the Advisory Committee on X-ray and Radiation Protection in 1928 to the disbanding of the Federal Radiation Council in 1970, when its functions were transferred to the Environmental Protection Agency. The history focuses on the establishment and revision of the most basic standards for allowable exposure: "tolerance dose," "maximum permissible exposure" and "radiation protection guidelines." Research is based primarily on the archives of the scientific committees which established and revised these standards: the National Council on Radiation Protection (the modern name of the ACXRP) and the Federal Radiation Council. In addition to examining the interaction of scientific, political and ethical issues within each committee, the project will also provide the opportunity to compare the workings of an independent scientific institution (the NCRP) with a federal agency (FRC).