Radiation cataracts have been of interest as medical and biologic phenomena since the early days of roentgenology, when an unusual type of cataract developed in certain x-ray technicians without necessarily other manifestations of irradiation developing. This apparent predisposition of the lens has intrigued investigators not only because of its practical importance but also because, on a priori grounds, one would not expect a tissue having the slow rate of growth of the lens to be particularly susceptible to radiation.
Recent interest in the subject has been accentuated by the occurrence of radiation cataracts in cyclotron workers1 and in some of the persons exposed to radiation from the atomic bomb.2 Accordingly, the Committee on Radiation Cataracts was formed under the auspices of the National Research Council for the purpose of stimulating research in this field, and the work to be reported in this paper was supported by a grant