Medical Aspects of Nuclear Radiation (‘50): Nuclear Fallout

This absurd 1950 U.S. Air Force-sponsored film purports to give its audience the facts about the dangers of nuclear fallout, radiation sickness and the effects of exposure of nuclear radiation on people. What it really does, however, is try to calm down a terrified populace by lying about the very real dangers of nuclear radiation. The narrator urges the audience to ignore reports they have read about the dangers of radiation. Using animation, the film describes the human body as a factory with workers in different body “departments.” This departmental system minimizes the risks of external and internal radiation contamination, asserting that the blast is much more likely to kill a victim than radiation. In the event of survival of the blast itself, the film appallingly suggests that waiting a mere three minutes before going back outside is time enough for the radiation to disperse! Other folksy methods like eating food after radiation exposure are proposed. And fear not if your hair falls out from radiation poisoning - it will grow back! Failing that, a toupee advocated. Delightfully ridiculous, Medical Aspects of Nuclear Radiation is a frightening piece of American political propaganda.