From Rick Haworth
Your article on exposure to radiation in the womb, such as medical X-rays, is
a classic example of why arguments over radiation doses remain in the emotional
rather than the factual arena
(This Week, 18 April, p 4). Bruce Kimler’s
experiment irradiating rat fetuses with “just 62.5 milligrays” (more than 60
times the dose of interest, given that a series of pelvic X-rays on humans gives
a dose of 1 milligray) leads him to believe that even minuscule doses will have
an effect on brain development.
By the same argument I could expose a rat fetus (or an adult, come to that)
to 320 °C and conclude that a 5-degree increase in room temperature could
lead to boiled blood, charred skin and a barbecued appearance in humans.
Using statistics like 2000 out of 100 000 rather than 2 in 100 (or 2 per
cent) is equally emotive and not worthy of a scientific journal that is usually
unbiased.
Tadley, Hampshire
