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| Exposure rates in Hiroshima |
Source:
Radiological training
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/09.pdf
http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1201101
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Journal 7 by Matthew Elswick
The character that has been most interesting to me so far has been Father Kleinsorge. Most of the other characters stated the events as they saw them and the things they accomplished. Father Kleinsorge was an outsider and was able to quantify Japanese cultural oddities and differences between them and westerners. Father Kleinsorge stated that, "he had been feeling oppressed by the hatred of foreigners...and he had been uneasy even with his Japanese friends." It was interesting that he was still willing to do his part before and after the bombing despite his treatment. He probably also won a great deal of favor from his neighbors with his aid at the park.
Radiation exposure is a fairly complicated topic. This is only made worse by fear and misunderstanding of the subject on the part of the general populace. Three Mile Island is a good example of that. The idea of gross physical mutations for example is a popular one despite no evidence of it ever occurring. Studies were also done to demonstrate that passing on of biological mutations from radiation exposure were also a myth, even though the concept does not make sense in execution. On the smallest scale radiation has either no effect on a cell, kills the cell, or creates a bad cell which reproduces. Radiation is a game of chance. With exposure to high levels of radiation particles being produced are more likely to do major damage to biological systems that matter. Two of the biggest concerns are bone marrow and the GI tract. The GI tracts doesn't shield organs from low energy radiation like the skin does. Once contamination is the GI tract occurs, it is all downhill from there. Bone marrow is a concern because it has a cascading effect on blood production. Throughout the first few chapters we see mentions of vomiting and burns on the skin. The effects of radiation sickness set in at different intervals based on initial exposure. If people have burns, 50% of those people will die in sixty days without medical attention. Blistering of the skin marks extremely high levels of exposure. Death is incredibly likely. Treatment requires bone marrow transplants in that case and that is extremely unlikely in the very brief amount of time they have to live. Vomiting is also right below the threshold for death due to radiation exposure. Blood transfusion and bone marrow transplants are the only real treatments for radiation exposure. Those particular treatments don't seem likely for the people at Hiroshima at this point in the book. For all of the people that do live, cancer is a major concern. Radiation exposure
Source:
Radiological training
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/09.pdf
http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1201101
Source:
Radiological training
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/09.pdf
http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1201101
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I always found this subject fascinating, and yet, frightening... and you're right, it's mainly because most of us don't know all the facts about radiation exposure. There's always that question of "how do you know when you're body is being exposed to life threatening levels of radiation, or low levels, when you're not feeling any of the effects right away?" I guess studying these notions will only peak ones interest even further. You mentioned: for the people that have lived, cancer is a major concern- I wonder if having been exposed to radiation and later being told that you're cured and everything is alright, would there be any studies to show that there's any conditions happening down the road, say... 20 to 30 years? Could radiation poisoning still have a hold on our biological makeup on a cellular level, even after being cured from its rendering sickness?
ReplyDeleteFather Kleinsorge was definitely a remarkable character because throughout the book, he was always willing to help people no matter what shape he was in. He did this all the way up until his death.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the most shocking thing about radiation sickness is that a lot of the Japanese did not even realize that the atomic bomb would have long-term health effects on them. Who can blame them for not knowing though? No one had ever seen the effects of such a weapon before.
I thought it was interesting that Father Kleinsorge was seen as an outsider but after the bomb was dropped nobody cared who they were receiving help from and I also believe he gain a lot of respect form other Japanese because he tried to help many people. I don't think any one realized the after effects of the atomic bomb, Which made it that much more dangerous since nobody really had a clue what was happening to them.
ReplyDeleteI also thought he was a very interesting character and It was nice to get the perceptive of someone who was not from Japan. He was a very brave man and I also think it was great he did his part. Radiation sickness is a very horrible thing and I though you provided good information about this.
ReplyDeleteIts sad to read about how most of these people didn't even have a chance to survive. With so many people injured at once there was no way for all of them to receive medical attention. The effects of cancer down the line are also very troubling, because they did not know what to expect after this bomb.
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