Læknablaðið - 01.10.1968, Side 67

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to fallout in 1954 and studied by Conard18 have developed nodules
in their thyroid, although fortunately no cancers. One adult oí
this group has shown a thyroid cancer.
There is supporting experimental evidence that radiation to
the thyroid is carcinogenic in sheep as well as other animals.
Sheep experimentally exposed to concentrations of radioactive
iodine xvell above tlie maximum permissihle levels for man first
develop thyroid nodules19 of bcnign type, and later thyroid
cancer very rarely appeared. Radiation has produced thyroid
cancer in rodents.
Forty years ago world attention was focussed on radium
watch dial painters, particularly those of New Jersey.20 These
girls pointed with their lips the brushes with which they painted
dials witli luminous radium-containing paint. Thus they absorbed
varying though minute amounts of radium, most of which was
deposited in their liones and thus continued to irradiate the hone
cells. A number of the dial painters developed radiation osteitis
which in some instances progressed to osteogenic sarcoma
(Fig. 8). Still another group of patients now heing studied
Fig. 8.
Osteogenic sarcoma due to radium poisoning in a dial painter. Note
abnormal fibrocytes and deposition of osteoid X 375.