Note: file for 80-column printout
LD-50 (lethal dose for 50% of exposed population) EXPOSURE DOSES FOR VARIOUS
ANIMALS AND PLANTS
Organism LD-50 in RADS
Dogs, pigs 300
Goats 350
MAN 400
Mice, monkeys 450
Sheep 540
Fish/shellfish 550 to 100,000
Cattle,rats,horses 630
Rabbits 800
Chickens 1000
Insects 5000+
Turtles 15000
Bacteria/viruses 100000
LD-90
Cabbage,spinach 14000
LD-100
Onions 2000
Oats 3300
Barley,rye,wheat,
and corn 4300
Fruits and grasses 5000+
Potatoes 12000
Tomatoes 15000
CLINICAL EFFECTS ARISING FROM RAPID WHOLE-BODY DOSES OF IMMEDIATE GAMMA
RADIATION OR THE SAME AMOUNT OF RADIATION ACQUIRED IN THE COURSE OF ONE HOUR
Note:that the human body can stand MUCH more radiation if the radiation is
spread out over a longer time (see below for longer time exposures).
Whole body Incapacity Death in Survivors Clinical effects/therapy
dosage in in exposed exposed period of
RADS persons persons Convalescence
0-25 0% 0% n/a Practically no "short-term" effects.
May be some blood cell changes./ None
required, just reassurance.
25-100 0-25% 0% 7 days A small amount of nausea and sickness
for highest dose level. Blood changes
noticable./ Reassurance, rest, and
blood counts checks, if possible.
100-200 25-100% approx. Up to Definate identifiable changes in blood
25% in about cells. Highest dose causes hair loss,
30-60 40 livid skin spots, nausea,vomiting,
days. days. diarrhea,fevers,hemorrages, and great
fatigue. Heart failure in some./ Rest
reassurance,blood cell count,light
diet,antibiotics.
200-400 100% 25-50% Several Symptoms as above but more severe.
in 30 weeks Fatal to 25% in low range, 50% in high
to 60 to range./Same as above but blood trans-
days. months. fusion(if possible)may help recovery.
Sedatives for bad cases.
400-600 100% 50-75% Several Symptoms as above but now very severe
in 20 months and occuring soon after exposure.
to 35 to Death will occur within shorter time
days. years. span./Survivors will require all the
above + a bone marrow transplant if
possible. Sedatives for bad cases.
600-800 100% 75-99% Years Symptoms as above but the circulatory
in days. system and parts of the central nervous
system malfunction rapidly./Treatment as
above but mainly supportive because of
probability of death. Maintaining electrolytes
may assist victim.
800-5000+ 100% 100% Outcome very rapid indeed. Vomiting,falling
in blood count,diarrhea,great fatigue,internal
hours. bleding,organs fail,nervous system collapse
heart failure/coma - death./ Purely supportive
therapy, no possible recovery.
Again, as these doses are immediate or one hour doses, these are strictly
worse case possible results. The same dosage acquired over a longer time span
would have significantly less drastic effects. (see below for time table)
The above is taken from the very fine book SURVIVING DOOMSDAY-C.Bruce Sibley.
Available from Journal of Practical Civil Defence
11 Newport Cresent,Waddington
Lincolnshire,LN5 9LZ, England for $15.00,postpaid or at your
friendly survivalist bookstore. This book's missiles table are outdated, but
the rest of the book is one of the best I have seen. Ken
The body can handle and repair a certian amount of free radical damage whether
it is caused by radiation, drinking alcholol, heavy labor, heavy exercise,
eating slightly rancid food, or from wounds. The following table shows this
ability of the body to repair itself to a limited extent.
Medical care needed by Accumulated Radiation Exposures (R) over a period of
One week One month Four months
None, no deaths 150 R 200 R 300 R
Some, 5% may die 250 R 350 R 500 R
Most, 50% may die 450 R 600 R
The above chart is from Richard C. Oster Sr.'s article in Journal of Civil
Defense Oct 1987, Fallout Radiation: Levels and Effects.
(Note that the same exposure over 4 months causes 5% deaths whereas the same
exposure over 1 hour causes 50+% deaths)
A further note. It has been stated that a daily radiation exposure of 3-12
rads per day will cause no short term effects. This is true to a limited
extent. However, in radiation therapy where the typical daily dose is 15 Rads
whole body, is has been noted that serious blood changes occur when day after
day exposures hit around 150-200 R cumlative. Even if exposure is halted at
that point, blood components will continue to deteriorate for the next 25-35
days.
The reason for the variance of outcome in exposure RATES is that radiation
of the type that we are talking of is ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation
causes the formation of free radicals in the body. Radiation sickness is a
free radical disease just as a hang-over is. The body can handle a certian
amount of free radicals before the free radicals overwhelm the body's free
radical scavenging system. When overwhelmed, part of the free radical damage
consists of damage to the body's free radical scavenging system creating
a vicious cycle. The body's ability to scavenge free radicals may be improved
by a factor of three using various vitamins and minerals (see the three books,
LIFE EXTENSION - A PARTICAL SCIENTIFIC APPROACH, THE LIFE EXTENSION COMPANION,
THE LIFE EXTENSION WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM by Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw).
The reason for the vairiance of outcome from exposure DOSES is that there
is a wide variance in people's ability to handle free radicals. This is based
on genetics, age, state of physical conditioning, overall health, and quality
of nutrition.
