Karl Z. Morgan

Karl Z. Morgan, a specialist physicist in the area of cosmic radiation, was recruited in 1943 to work in the secret project to develop an atomic bomb. He joined a small group of physicists who were interested in the health effects of radiation. Morgan became director of health physics at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, serving from the late 1940s until his retirement in 1972. In 1955 he became the first president of the Health Physics Society, and was editor of the journal "Health Physics" from 1955 to 1977. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4020/is_200201/ai_n9036418/print?tag=artBody;col1 Angry Genie: One Man's Walk Through the Nuclear Age] ]

After decades as a "pillar of the nuclear establishment", Dr. Morgan had a "change of heart" about nuclear weapons production and nuclear power. He began to offer court testimony which was friendly to people who said they had been harmed by nuclear weapons and the nuclear power industry. In October 1982, he testified in a lawsuit brought by nearly 1,200 people who accused the government of negligence in atomic weapons testing in Nevada in the 1950's, which they said had caused leukemia and other cancers. Dr. Morgan, then 75, testified that radiation protection measures in the tests were substandard. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502EFDE1238F930A25755C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print Karl Z. Morgan, 91, Founder of the Field Of Health Physics, Dies in Tennessee] ]

Dr. Morgan also testified on behalf of Navajo uranium miners and their survivors, saying government officials had known about mine radiation dangers but had not protected the miners. He also testified in the case of Karen Silkwood against Kerr-McGee.

Dr. Morgan's autobiography, "" was published in 1999 by the University of Oklahoma Press. Dr Morgan died in 1999.

ee also

*Anti-nuclear movement in the United States
*List of books about nuclear issues
*List of nuclear whistleblowers
*Nuclear accidents
*Nuclear safety

References

External links

* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/1999/jun/15/guardianobituaries1 Karl Morgan]