Radiation Expertise 53
products and livestock, and ultimately into the human body. In the early
1950s, little was known about the effects or behavior of radioactive particles
in the environment.
Initial disaster response in the Southern Urals came from Moscow. Brigades
consisting of employees of the USSR Ministry of Public Health, Ministry
of Middle Machine Building (henceforth referred to by its Russian acronym
Sredmash), and the Academy of Sciences supported the medical-sanitary unit
71 (henceforth referred to by its Russian acronym MSO-71) of the radiochemical plant “Mayak.” 21 It can be said that in the early 1950s, nuclear expertise
was “imported” to the Southern Urals. Specialized medical infrastructure
emerged in the Oblast’ Chelyabinsk not before the mid-1950s and in the late
1950s, then boosted by the necessity caused by the accident in 1957. 22
Up until then, any radiation expertise was dependent on either representatives coming from Moscow to Chelyabinsk-40 or the combine’s specialized
units. Thus, the process in formulating a decree regarding the extent and
depth of relief measures in the affected areas was more or less dependent on
assertions and data interpretation by representatives appointed by the combine or Sredmash respectively. Seeing that there were no assured nuclear
knowledge or best practices as how to handle any emerging nuclear disaster in the early 1950s, the power of data interpretation assumed particular
importance.
On the basis of the MSO-71 in 1953, the first branch of the Institute of
Biophysics was founded (henceforth referred to by its Russian acronym
FIB-1). Its parent institute, the Institute of Biophysics 23 of the Academy of
Medical Sciences, was first established in 1946 as the Radiation Laboratory
(radiatsionnaia laboratoriia) on the initiative of Igor V. Kurchatov. The Institute
of Biophysics was subjected to the 3rd Main Directorate of the Ministry of
Public Health and carried out secret medico-biological studies on radiation
effects within the Soviet atomic project. Headed by Avetik I. Burnazian,
the secret 3rd Main Department oversaw the radiation protection of the
military-industrial complex. 24
With respect to the emerging illnesses of Techa residents and the health
monitoring and measures after the accident in 1957, the capacities of the
medical infrastructure of the secret city were exhausted. It became apparent
that additional radiation expertise was needed in the affected region. Churin,
the Deputy Minister of Public Health and former Director of the chemical
plant Mayak asked the local sanitary organs for help in June 1958. 25 On the
one hand, they functioned to provide medical care and, on the other hand,
to give a basis for administrative decision-making.
In 1955, a local dispensary in the city Chelyabinsk was established under the
authority of the Union Ministry of Public Health. Furthermore, in August
1958, the Chelyabinsk branch of the Leningrad Institute for Radiation Safety
of the RSFSR Ministry of Public Health was founded (henceforth referred
to by its Russian acronym ChLenNIIRG). Its parent institute, the Leningrad
Institute for Radiation Safety of the RSFSR Ministry of Public Health,
products and livestock, and ultimately into the human body. In the early
1950s, little was known about the effects or behavior of radioactive particles
in the environment.
Initial disaster response in the Southern Urals came from Moscow. Brigades
consisting of employees of the USSR Ministry of Public Health, Ministry
of Middle Machine Building (henceforth referred to by its Russian acronym
Sredmash), and the Academy of Sciences supported the medical-sanitary unit
71 (henceforth referred to by its Russian acronym MSO-71) of the radiochemical plant “Mayak.” 21 It can be said that in the early 1950s, nuclear expertise
was “imported” to the Southern Urals. Specialized medical infrastructure
emerged in the Oblast’ Chelyabinsk not before the mid-1950s and in the late
1950s, then boosted by the necessity caused by the accident in 1957. 22
Up until then, any radiation expertise was dependent on either representatives coming from Moscow to Chelyabinsk-40 or the combine’s specialized
units. Thus, the process in formulating a decree regarding the extent and
depth of relief measures in the affected areas was more or less dependent on
assertions and data interpretation by representatives appointed by the combine or Sredmash respectively. Seeing that there were no assured nuclear
knowledge or best practices as how to handle any emerging nuclear disaster in the early 1950s, the power of data interpretation assumed particular
importance.
On the basis of the MSO-71 in 1953, the first branch of the Institute of
Biophysics was founded (henceforth referred to by its Russian acronym
FIB-1). Its parent institute, the Institute of Biophysics 23 of the Academy of
Medical Sciences, was first established in 1946 as the Radiation Laboratory
(radiatsionnaia laboratoriia) on the initiative of Igor V. Kurchatov. The Institute
of Biophysics was subjected to the 3rd Main Directorate of the Ministry of
Public Health and carried out secret medico-biological studies on radiation
effects within the Soviet atomic project. Headed by Avetik I. Burnazian,
the secret 3rd Main Department oversaw the radiation protection of the
military-industrial complex. 24
With respect to the emerging illnesses of Techa residents and the health
monitoring and measures after the accident in 1957, the capacities of the
medical infrastructure of the secret city were exhausted. It became apparent
that additional radiation expertise was needed in the affected region. Churin,
the Deputy Minister of Public Health and former Director of the chemical
plant Mayak asked the local sanitary organs for help in June 1958. 25 On the
one hand, they functioned to provide medical care and, on the other hand,
to give a basis for administrative decision-making.
In 1955, a local dispensary in the city Chelyabinsk was established under the
authority of the Union Ministry of Public Health. Furthermore, in August
1958, the Chelyabinsk branch of the Leningrad Institute for Radiation Safety
of the RSFSR Ministry of Public Health was founded (henceforth referred
to by its Russian acronym ChLenNIIRG). Its parent institute, the Leningrad
Institute for Radiation Safety of the RSFSR Ministry of Public Health,