Progress in Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy has firmly established itself as a separate branch of physical science, engineering, and medicine. This new publication, Progress in Nuclear Energy, consists of eight series, namely: I. Physics and Mathematics, II. Reactors, III. Process Chemistry, IV. Technology and Engineering, V. Metallurgy and Fuels, VI. Biological Sciences, VII. Medical Sciences, VIII. Economics of Nuclear Power. The editors aimed to encompass the progress achieved in all facets of nuclear energy and make it easier for the scientists and engineers to obtain information outside their special field. The Geneva Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in 1955 provided for the first time the free flow of information on nuclear energy between the scientists of all nations. The first volume in each series was published as soon as it was technically feasible after the Geneva Conference. This volume, Medical Sciences, consists of many critical review articles on significant topics discussed and also a few of the actual papers presented at the Geneva Conference. The first two chapters review the use of radioisotopes in medical diagnosis and their significant contribution to metabolic study of the human body. The third chapter deals with treatment of diseases by external radiation sources, such as radiocobalt, radioiridium and radiocaesium, and supervoltage devices. It was reported by Russian scientists that 160 oncological establishments in the Soviet Union had almost simultaneously been supplied with sets of radioactive cobalt preparations in the shape of small tubes and needles of various sizes containing from 0.5 mg. to 35 mg. radium equivalents. Apparently, the telecobalt units used in Russia contain much smaller amounts of active source than the units installed in this country and Canada (as below 500 curies vs. 1,000-1,500 curies). The fourth chapter deals with radioisotope for internal therapy. Longterm observation and results obtained with the use of P2, 1I131, and radiocolloids were critically reviewed. The hope of finding a method of selectively localizing a radioisotope in cancer cells in the human body has not yet been realized. The fifth and sixth chapters deals with principles and standards of radiation safety and health and safety in reactor and chemical processing plants. Attention was confined to two main groups: (1) Maximum permissible exposure standards, (2) Administrative and legal problems. In the U.S.A., as in many other countries, the trend is toward legislative regulations in controlling radiation hazard, particularly regarding industrial