The effect of momentary x-ray exposure in small dose upon the peripheral blood picture.

INTRODUCTION " A permissible weekly dose is a dose of ionizing radiation accumulated in one week of such magnitude that, in the light of present knowledge, exposure at this weekly rate for an indefinite period of time, is not expected to cause appreciable bodily injury to a person at any time during his lifetime." This is a well-known recommendation as to the permissible dose from external source of ionizing radiation which is proposed by National Com mittee on Radiation Protection (1954).1)2) This weekly dose corresponds 50 mr per day. That is to say it has been believed that there occurs no appreciable bodily injury even if one is continuously exposed to 50 mr during 8 hours (working time for a day). On the other hand, radiation effects are the more remarkable the shorter the time during which the dose is given. So, does the range of this dose, if momentarily administered, cause any appreciable change in a human body?