Program planning for radiological health.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS in the field of atomic energy and the increasing use of radioactive materials and radiation equipment have prompted health departments to consider the organization of programs for the control of ionizing radiation. Health departments have no choice but to prepare now to meet, what may become, one of the most important environmental problems of the future. In the past, the hazards associated with polluted water, contaminated food and milk supplies were present and known to us before programs were planned for their control. Therefore, we have thought largely in terms of a corrective program rather than of one to prevent the occurrence of new hazards. In the past, protection against radiation was not looked upon primarily as a public health problem. Steps had been taken by some state agencies to reduce occupational exposure to radiation but generally little was done to reduce public exposure. With the advent of the atomic era, some states took steps to control radioactive wastes, but, in general, this problem was left to the federal government. We have no means to make atomic wastes innocuous and these wastes will continue to accumulate in our environment. Therefore, health authorities must make certain that they accumulate in a manner which is not detrimental to our welfare. Improved diagnostic technics utilizing powerful x-radiation are coming into more widespread use. Their benefits must be evaluated in terms of potential radiation injury. We do not want to curb the proper use of professional technics, nor restrict the beneficial use of atomic energy, providing their benefits outweigh the damages that might result. Of importance to health workers is the fact that radiation damage is peculiar in its nature since the injury may not become evident for a considerable time after the exposure occurs. Because of this peculiarity there is inadequate information concerning the incidence of