Protective Methods in Radiology 279 



oratory has continued to carry out inspections of radiological 

 departments. lonometric measurements are made at all points 

 likely to be occupied by personnel and, if the dosage rate at any 

 point is found to be in excess of the tolerance amount, methods 

 of remedying the defective equipment or of improving the tech- 

 nique are suggested. 



During the war, the Ministry of Health was disturbed at the 

 increasing number of reported cases of low leucocyte counts 

 and, towards the end of 1942, consulted the Laboratory with a 

 view to the establishment of a dosage service. On the basis 

 of many years' experience gained in the use of photographic 

 films for monitoring the doses of radiation received by members 

 of its own staff, the Laboratory organized a dosage film service 

 on behalf of the Ministry. Later the service was extended to 

 workers in Scotland and in Northern Ireland. In March, 1943, 

 the Factory Department of the Ministry of Labor and National 

 Service circularized industrial radiological departments, advising 

 the managements to make use of the same film service. 



Up to the present time, nearly 2,000 medical workers at about 

 550 hospitals and nearly 1.000 industrial workers at about 150 

 firms have been examined by the film method, many of the 

 workers having been tested at three-monthly intervals, and a 

 few continuously. The results show that over 70% of hospital 

 X-ray staffs and over 90% of industrial X-ray staffs receive 

 less than one-tenth of the weekly tolerance dose. When a film 

 test indicates that the wearer has received an excessive dose and 

 the result has been confirmed in a repeat test, the Laboratory 

 sends representatives to inspect the radiological department 

 concerned. In some cases, it is found that the ecjuipment is 

 defective ; in others, that the technique is faulty. But it should 

 be remarked that it has been found necessary to inspect only 9 

 hospital X-ray departments and only 12 industrial X-ray de- 

 partments. There appears to be no need, therefore, for alarm 

 regarding the low leucocyte counts. Indeed, Britton ^ found a 

 low leucocyte count in 29% of the 552 counts on 68 apparently 

 healthy nurses not exposed to radiation. He stated that this 

 appeared to be a war effect of unknown cause. 



