1980s National Geographic story about a radiation burn
June 12, 2019 1:07 PM Subscribe
Some time in the late 1980s I read a story in a National Geographic magazine about people who found an abandoned radioactive substance and were harmed by it. I want to re-read the story and see if my decades-old recollection of the incident and photos is accurate- it really struck me as a child. Is it online anywhere?
The substance was iridescent, and one person had carried a piece of it in their pocket for a while- I remember a photo of an apple-sized radiation burn on a brown-skinned thigh.
In hindsight I assume it was a story about the 1987 Goiânia radiological accident in Brazil, when a piece of abandoned radiotherapy medical equipment was found and opened by scrappers who became very ill from contact with radioactive Cesium... although that may not have been the same incident described in the magazine.
Any insight on what the story may have been, and how to find the back issue online? Thanks .
The substance was iridescent, and one person had carried a piece of it in their pocket for a while- I remember a photo of an apple-sized radiation burn on a brown-skinned thigh.
In hindsight I assume it was a story about the 1987 Goiânia radiological accident in Brazil, when a piece of abandoned radiotherapy medical equipment was found and opened by scrappers who became very ill from contact with radioactive Cesium... although that may not have been the same incident described in the magazine.
Any insight on what the story may have been, and how to find the back issue online? Thanks .
Relevant (also there are some CRAZY COMMENTS in that thread)
posted by allkindsoftime at 1:44 PM on June 12, 2019
posted by allkindsoftime at 1:44 PM on June 12, 2019
You may also enjoy reading the Criticality Accident Report from Oak Ridge Laboratory.
posted by Arctic Circle at 1:59 PM on June 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Arctic Circle at 1:59 PM on June 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
I remember that too! I distinctly remember a photo of kids in their underwear.
posted by k8t at 3:09 PM on June 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by k8t at 3:09 PM on June 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is not what you're looking for, but The Radiological Accident in Yanango is the surprisingly interesting story of a simple accident in 1999: an industrial radiography source got loose on a jobsite in Peru, a welder picked it up and put it in his pocket, and went home to his family.
posted by zachlipton at 7:59 PM on June 12, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by zachlipton at 7:59 PM on June 12, 2019 [2 favorites]
The Yanango incident was the one I was thinking of.
The fact that such a small, innocuous but interesting looking piece of metal could be so damn dangerous has stuck with me ever since I read the report.
posted by Gev at 5:18 AM on June 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
The fact that such a small, innocuous but interesting looking piece of metal could be so damn dangerous has stuck with me ever since I read the report.
posted by Gev at 5:18 AM on June 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wow, Mouse Army in one!
Thanks so much, what a trip to re-read that as an adult and have a bunch of hazy memories solidify. For decades I've been a bit squicked out by frosted lipstick for no good reason, and I now realize it's from reading exactly that Goiânia article when I was a child, because it compared the radioactive Cesium powder to carnival glitter makeup.
The other threads and events linked here are really interesting too. Learning about radiation is fascinating. Thanks, everyone!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:08 AM on June 22, 2019
Thanks so much, what a trip to re-read that as an adult and have a bunch of hazy memories solidify. For decades I've been a bit squicked out by frosted lipstick for no good reason, and I now realize it's from reading exactly that Goiânia article when I was a child, because it compared the radioactive Cesium powder to carnival glitter makeup.
The other threads and events linked here are really interesting too. Learning about radiation is fascinating. Thanks, everyone!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:08 AM on June 22, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
Living With Radiation
Cobb, Charles E, Jr., and Karen Kasmauski
National Geographic Magazine, April 1989, Vol. 175, Issue 4, p.403+.
Memail if you'd like me to send it to you!
posted by Mouse Army at 1:18 PM on June 12, 2019 [5 favorites]