4 C
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 19K3
MEDFORD .MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON
Nuclear Fallout
In Food Is Daily
Fear to Eskimos
Fancy Mid West Porkers
PICNIC STYLE
PORK
il
By THOMAS M. BROWN
Iniltii Press International
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (UPI)
Nuclear fallout is becoming
a daily menace for a small
group of Americans who live on
the country's northern frontier.
They are Eskimos who de
pend for food on the herds of
caribou and reindeer that roam
the Alaskan tundra where fall
out from Russian Arctic blasts
is threatening man and animals
alike with an overdose of radiation.
Despite the ban on further nu
clear tests, the Eskimos' crisis
remains because their food con
tinues to be tainted by residue
left in the air by previous
atmospheric tests. The caribou
and reindeer are becoming in
creasingly radioactive and in
creasingly dangerous to eat.
Dr. H. M. Parker, manager of
the Atomic Energy commis
sion's Hanford Laboratories in
Washington state, testified be
fore the joint - congressional
that if he lived on the tundra,
he "would begin to look around
to see how reasonable it would
he to substitute other kinds of
food" for those tainted animals.
Alaskans Worry
He and Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg,
Atomic Energy commission
chairman, say the situation Is
not serious enough to require
immediate countermcas u r e s.
But the Alaskans are worried.
And Parker admits that "this
is not to say that in the long
term it would not be danger
ous." The problem was explained
this way by Parker:
Lichens, a form of moss,
which grows on the tundra, act
as a sort of land-grown sponge,
soaking up unusually high
amounts of Cesium 137, a radio
active by - product of nuclear
blasts. Caribou and reindeer eat
the lichens, and in turn become
tainted with radioactivity.
Cesium 137 is in some ways
similar to phosphorus, and when
it enters the body, it lodges in
Ihp muscles. Scientists believe
that in large doses it may pre
sent a genelic hazard, possibly
causinl sterility or mutations in
future generations.
But. the scientists aren't sure
just how much it will take to
he dangerous. An unoffic 1 a 1
committee of scientists, the In
ternational Committee on Radi
ation Protection, thinks 300
nannruries of Cesium should be
the average permissible for
groups and 1,000 nanocurics
should be the limit for an indi
vidual. Rudiatinn in Eskimos
Many Eskimos have already
more radiation than that in their
bodies.
Parker said in testimony that
700 Eskimos in seven villages
were examined by Hanford
scientists, who used a portable
radiation counter to determine
how much radiation they had
absorbed.
In the little village of Anak
tuvik Pass, population about 70,
the average adult had absorbed
4S0 nanocuries of Cesium 137.
One man had 790 nanocuries.
nd Parker told the subcom
mittee he thought it "very like
ly" that radiation in some Eski
mos would rise to 1,0(10 to 1,200 '
nanocuries this year. j
He said, though, that he
thought there was no immediate j
danger since some workers in
atomic plants are permitted to ;
absorb up to 30,000 nanocurics
of Cesium 137 30 times the
acceptable maximum. A nano-:
curie is one billionth of a curie,
and a curie is equal to the radi-1
alion from one gram of radium.
Often, Eskimos who eat caribou
meal have ion times as much
Cesium 137 in their bodies as
other Alaskans or persons who
live in other stales.
Eskimos Petition
The Eskimos are worried
about it. Some have petitioned
the federal government to move
them to a place where they can
depend on something besides
radioactive animals (or food.
Gov. William Egan is wor
ried too. Originally, he asked
the AEC and the federal gov
ernment to conduct further
studies and to look into the pos
sibilities of providing Eskimos
with a substitute food. Seaborg
assured Egan such a drastic
step was not yet necessary, but
the governor still is concerned,
search facilities in Alaska to
keep tabs on the problem.
Egan said the state lacks the
cash and the personnel to do the
job and said that as things
stand now, the federal govern
ment will have to set up the re
search facilities If It's going to
be done at all.
Scientists believe all nuclear
tests in the atmospherp hut
particularly Russian Arctic
blasts are responsible for the
Eskimos overdose of radiation.
Jf a nartial nuclear lest ban
Irpatv were observed by all
signers, it would assure that no
more radioactive junk is dump
ed into the atmosphere. But
much of the Eskimos' problem
si til would remain. Cesium 137,
unlike some other nuclear by
products, is long lived. And It
will be sifting down from the
tipper atmosphere, contamina
ting lichen, caribou and Eskimo
FRESH
SPAM
LUNCHEON
Orangeade or Grapeade 3 , . 87
Pancake Mix 5 , 98
Lumberjack Syrup ,,, ,,., 39
Strawberry Jam ... ,69
Lima Beans wHam ,,,, 49c
Toilel Tissue ,3. 87'
Facial Tissue .:.M,6 ,100
Chicken Noodle Soup m .4 ,.,100
All Olher Varieties Soup sr. 3 ,100
irnxM 1
Flame Red Tokay
GRAPES
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NEW PAVED PARKING LOT
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OYSTER
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US
20
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ONIONS
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Sunday, Oct. 20
POTATOES
9
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PORK STEAK
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No. 2
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CRANBERRIES
49
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CELIO
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TOAST LB
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Small, Medium or
BAGLEY
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Irreg. Pieces . . . 2Vz Tin
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12 VS u t-sa u
Keeps Cubes Up To 24 Hours
Reg. 98c
M
MJB COFFEE
Mb. Tin
49
2-lb. Tin
97
10 oz. Instant MJB...S1.29
Tomato Juice
Sardines
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Deodorants a 3- 890-7.01
Tea Bags
Cookies
Haley's
Choice Steer
BEEF LIVER
Large Size
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Upton Black-Pkg. 48's
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Chocolate Pinwhcel, Fudge Sandwich
Orange or Grape Beverage Base 6 -
GRANDVIEW MARKET
2330 Crater Lake Ave. Medford
Hours: 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Monday Through Sunday
Limit
lb.
49c
JAR
9o00o0
FLAV-R-PAC
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10 oz. Pkg.
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Warm Room lockers Lots of Parking
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Rights Reserved
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