
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.