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Articles
Somerset County Herald. Saturday 21 Jan 1961
Page 5 Column 7
Somerset Call for Water Tests
Possible Link with Cancer Deaths
A statement headed, 'Is there a link between cancer and drinking water?' has been sent to the Chairman of Somerset County Council and to the County Medical Officer by Dr. Geoffrey TAYLOR, prospective Liberal candidate for Yeovil, and a member of the Party's Medical Committee.
The statement refers to a survey by health physicists in parts of Devon and suggests that similar research should be undertaken in Somerset and other parts of Britain with Devonian rock strata.
Dr. TAYLOR quotes survey figures from Dr. E. D. ALLEN-PRICE, medical officer of health for Okehampton and Tavistock.
'These show large variations in the local incidence of cancer. The area as a whole has about the national average of 16.8 deaths from cancer to 100 deaths from all causes. Figures in individual villages in West Devon vary from 46.7 per cent. to 4.5 per cent.
'In one small area the figure rises to 66 per cent., said to be the highest recorded in the world.
Bad Spots in Devon
'The bad spots are all on a common geological strata, known as Devonian. But some other places on the same strata show low figures.
'The common factor in the bad spots was found to be a water supply from springs and wells with sources in the Devonian strata. Recent tests on these water supplies in West Devon show they are highly radioactive from “natural background.” Other neighbouring water supplies from different strata are much less radioactive. This form of radioactivity is a know cause of cancer.”
The statement also says, 'Dr. ALLEN-PRICE and his colleagues are doing immensely valuable pioneering work in this field of cancer research. Their work is not complete. But the link between high cancer rates and high radioactivity in drinking water, leading to the changing of some West Devon water supplies, surely means that their work must be extended at once.
'Devonian strata exist in Cornwall, South Devon, Exmoor, the Quantocks, South Wales, Scotland and the Orkneys. Highly radioactive waters are known to exist elsewhere.
Local Tests
'Four
of the ten examinations of reservoir water in West Devon also show
high radioactivity, a
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finding of general significance with new reservoirs being built in many parts of Britain.
'Prompt action in starting local cancer surveys and testing water supplies in such areas is essential. We cannot afford to be complacent. The lesson is clear for local authorities and the Government.'