European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 9, 1959, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The army studies human radioactivity working with German Federal agencies Lan Stuhl medical Center is studying the problems of present Day fallout by Ernie Weatherall staff writer wearing a radiation free scrub suit Volunteer Inge Borg Adam Steps out of the Geneva counter after test. Sgt John r. Appert takes data As subject of test Peers through window of chamber. �. F i lower right Volunteer is weighed before entering tie test device a s Onstead standing and s sgt Jack e. Redding radio isotope technician work at calibrating the . T v r is photos by Gene Bane the -U.S. Army medical Center at land Stuhl. Germany has discovered that if you build a better radioactivity measuring machine the mailman will beat a path to your door. Ever since the Geneva walk in human counter As it is known went into opera Tion last month volunteers from All Over West Germany have swamped medical re search unit no. 1, for appointments. The machine is the Only one in Europe explained the co of the unit capt Charles Onstead o Ennis Tex. It was first demonstrated at the atoms for peace exhibit in Geneva then brought Here tothe medical  Onstead a radiologist Learned to operate the 10-ton Geneva counter on a similar one at Waller Reed army Institute of re search in Washington. The Captain has two enlisted men radio isotope technicians one officer a radio biologist and two be Marl civilians on his team. Setting up the machine in Lan Stuhl does t mean that we suspect any excess radioactivity in the area he explained. It was brought Here to study radio activity in the european  when the counter opened for business last month wide publicity was Given inthe German press and on radio to pro Grams that the research unit was looking for  have received letters from refugees who had worked in the uranium mines in East  Onstead said. They want to find out if they have an excess of radio activity in their bodies from years of Labouring  German Federal and state health agencies have been setting up appoint ments with the research unit. They resending miners and steel Mill workers from the Ruhr area to determine whether the radioactivity count in their bodies is higher than average due to their occupy  Are in the making to run the entire population of a town near a steel Mill in the Saar through the counter. Since a tiny amount of radioactive fallout is emitted by smoke from the Mills the Vil lagers will be surveyed for a scientific  people think that the counter gives off radiation Onstead said but Only the radiation emitted by the body is  stepping into the counter the subject is asked about his diet physical activity amount of time spent outdoors How Long he has lived in the area and other  is then Given a scrub suit Radia Tion free clothing to Wear during the count. After he has his height and weight recorded he walks inside the counter and remains for 100  that time the isotopes within his body which disintegrate and give off Gamma rays Are counted. Several thousand persons were tested at Geneva last fall when the counter was on display. Onstead explained that this was just a demonstration. Scientific test ing and data collecting limits the capacity of the counter to about 25 persons a Day. One Day a week we have to close Down and calibrate it he  Geneva counter is the Only one that a subject can walk into. The counter at Walter Reed and the original one at los Alamos scientific Laboratory in new Mexico Are horizontal affairs. Subjects have to lie Down and be pushed into the counter the Way a polio patient is put into an Iron  walking in has a better psychological effect on the subject Onstead said. The Only people the counter bothers Are those suffering from Claustrophobia thursday july 9, 1959 the stars and stripes Page u