After the Rays

An unpleasant modern problem is what to do (or not to do) for a dangerous dose of radiation. Last week a Boston meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association heard a report on the reaction of irradiated dogs to strenuous exercise and psychological problems.

A group of researchers under Dr. Walter W. Jetter of Boston University used beagles in their experiments. Some were trained to do strenuous tasks, such as running for hours on treadmills. Others were taught to get food by pawing triggered boxes in response to signals and in spite of frightening noises.

The dogs were taken to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and given doses of X rays calculated to kill one-third of them eventually. Then some of them returned to their former schedules of exercise or box-opening. The others were kept idle as controls.

Of the 28 irradiated dogs that were exercised, 19 died. Of the 18 not exercised, only five died. Dr. Jetter concludes that it might be well to keep people from strenuous exercise after they have received large amounts of radiation.

The dogs trained to work the food-boxes were affected, too. Those that survived were jumpy, seeming to fear loud noises even before they happened. The conclusion: people who have been irradiated, if they survive, may prove nervously unstable.

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