On Protection against Radiation in Teleradium Treatment

It is very difficult to decide what protection may be needed for doctors and nurses engaged in giving teleradium treatment. Our knowledge of the effects of exposure of the whole bod}' to weak but lengthy gamma radiation is very imperfect, and practical experience of the risks of teleradium treatment still covers a relatively brief period. The influence of the time or intensity factor at weak radiation intensities is another question which has not yet been settled. Our knowledge regarding individual variations of sensitivity to radium in small doses is equally slight. There are two points of view from which protection against gamma radiation can be discussed. One is the assumption, analogous with experience from X-ray therapy, of a certain tolerance dose which, taking into account the greater penetration of the gamma rays, is computed from that which by some authors (MUTSCHELLER, Journal of Roentgenol., 13, p. 65, 1925) has been considered most probable, viz. 1/10 RED, i. e. 30 to 70 r per annum. BENNER (Acta Radiol. 11, p. 310, 1931), who has measured the radiation intensity in the rooms adjoining the present Radiumhemrnet treatment rooms (3 gms of radium element), has found that doses of this magnitude are only attained in the rooms on the same floor as and immediately adjoining the treatment room, although the walls contain no special protective material. The other point of view is that even very small quantities of radiation may have distinct biological effects." From this latter point of view,