WIX Archives
Re: Ooops
Posted by Damien Burke on Tue May 21, 2002 06:34:59 AM
In reply top Re: Ooops posted by Richard Woods on Tue May 21, 2002 06:22:32 AM
Where the radiation came from... well, two possibilities:
1 - that she was used as a gunnery target and was fired at with depleted uranium. Not awfully likely as DU wasn't around until the 70s.
2 - that they believe there is enough radiactivity from the luminous paint on the dials to cause any harm. If they believe this, they're wrong. You need constant exposure at close range for many months if not years (and I do know of one case where a young chap who collected instruments and had them hung on his bedroom wall and around his bed, sadly dying of cancer very young). Being in there for a few hours won't do you any harm.
Perhaps pointing out the existence of photos taken inside her already would help?
I can understand why they may feel this way - it's just the sort of over-cautiousness that's getting into every aspect of life in the UK unfortunately.
Smaller museums are always a better bet - I remember getting a good look at a Swift nose in one, and being told (as the canopy was being slid back) "I wouldn't breathe too much, she's a bit radioactive". Ah, the days of enjoying some personal responsibility for your actions eh...