Radioactive Sickness

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Recommended: Thesis on radioactivity

Causative Agent:

A total body exposure of one hundred roentgens of radiation will cause radiation sickness. Although certain medical devices will give you exposure to radiation, the grays of radiation are miniscule and will not cause radiation sickness. There are a few sources that can lead to a high enough exposure of roentgens of radiation. One of these sources involves accidents or attacks involving nuclear facilities. The other has to do with accidents or being the target of radioactive or nuclear weapons and devices, this includes the use of a conventional explosive device that disperses radioactive material, known as a dirty bomb.

Historical Information:

Back in 1902 when Marie & Pierre Curie were isolating radium, a radioactive element, people did not understand at all the effects of radiation on the body. In years 1941 to 1945 more and more studies were conducted using radioactive material in bombs, but very little was done to investigate the effects this radiation. Only after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan were investigations into the effects of radioactive material on human beings seriously thought about. Japanese Actress Midori Naka, who was in Hiroshima at the time of bombing, was the first incident of radiation poisoning to be extensively studied. Her death on August 24, 1945 was the first to have the official cause be radiation poisoning, at this point it was called the atomic bomb disease.

Transmission/ how it is acquired:

In discussing radiation sickness we must first define what radiation is. Radiation is defined as energy released from atoms. This released energy is either a wave or a tiny particle of matter known as x-rays or gamma rays. Exposure to x-rays or gamma rays is measured in units of ...

... middle of paper ...

...t in excrement. Due to elimination by excrement it reduces the amount of radiation that cells may absorb. DTPA binds to metals in the elements plutonium, americium and curium and expels it from the body in urine, also lowering the total amount of radiation taken in by the body’s cells. External radiation is usually in the form of burns and is treated the same way any other burn is treated.

Prevention:

The only way to prevent radiation sickness is to avoid radiation.

Possible Use in Biowarfare:

Radiation sickness is only caused by radioactive elements and is considered nuclear warfare if used in warfare because of the radioactive elements.

Works Cited

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/radiation-sickness/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000026.htm

http://www.hss.doe.gov/

http://www.news-medical.net/health/Radiation-Poisoning-History.aspx

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