Alice Stewart
Encyclopedia
Dr Alice Mary Stewart (4 October 1906–3 June 2002) was a physician and epidemiologist specialising in social medicine
and the effects of radiation
on health. Her study of radiation-induced illness among workers at the Hanford plutonium production plant
, Washington, is frequently cited by those who seek to demonstrate that even very low doses of radiation cause substantial hazard. She was awarded the Right Livelihood Award
in 1986.
, England, the daughter of Albert Naish, a physician at Sheffield Royal Hospital and Sheffield Children's Hospital, later professor of medicine at the University of Sheffield. She studied pre-clinical medicine at Girton College, Cambridge
, and in 1932 completed her clinical studies at the Royal Free Hospital
, London. She gained experienced in hospital posts in Manchester and London, before returning to the Royal Free Hospital as a registrar
. In 1941 she took a teaching post at the Oxford University Medical School
, and it was here she developed her interest in social medicine, advising on health problems experienced by wartime munitions workers.
allocated funds to her pioneering study of x-rays as a cause of childhood cancer, which she worked on from 1953 until 1956. Her results were initially regarded as unsound, but her findings on fetal damage caused by x-rays of pregnant women were eventually accepted worldwide and the use of medical x-rays during pregnancy and early childhood was curtailed as a result. Stewart retired in 1974.
Her most famous investigation came after her formal retirement, while an honorary member of the department of social medicine at the University of Birmingham. Working with Professor Thomas Mancuso of the University of Pittsburgh she examined the sickness records of employees in the Hanford plutonium production plant, Washington state, and found a far higher incidence of radiation-induced ill health than was noted in official studies. Sir Richard Doll
, the epidemiologist respected for his work on smoking-related illnesses, attributed her anomalous findings to a "questionable" statistical analysis supplied by her assistant, George Kneale (who was aware of, but may have miscalculated, the unintentional "over-reporting" of cancer diagnoses in communities near to the works). Stewart herself acknowledged that her results were outside the range considered statistically significant. Today, however, her account is valued as a response to the perceived bias in reports produced by the nuclear industry.
In 1986 she was added to the roll of honour of the Right Livelihood Foundation
, an annual award presented in Stockholm
. Stewart eventually gained her coveted title of "professor" through her appointment as a professorial fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. In 1997 Stewart was invited to become the first Chair of the European Committee on Radiation Risk
.
Social medicine
The field of social medicine seeks to:# understand how social and economic conditions impact health, disease and the practice of medicine and# foster conditions in which this understanding can lead to a healthier society....
and the effects of radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
on health. Her study of radiation-induced illness among workers at the Hanford plutonium production plant
Hanford Site
The Hanford Site is a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, operated by the United States federal government. The site has been known by many names, including Hanford Works, Hanford Engineer Works or HEW, Hanford Nuclear Reservation...
, Washington, is frequently cited by those who seek to demonstrate that even very low doses of radiation cause substantial hazard. She was awarded the Right Livelihood Award
Right Livelihood Award
The Right Livelihood Award, also referred to as the "Alternative Nobel Prize", is a prestigious international award to honour those "working on practical and exemplary solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the world today". The prize was established in 1980 by Jakob von Uexkull, and is...
in 1986.
Early life
Stewart was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England, the daughter of Albert Naish, a physician at Sheffield Royal Hospital and Sheffield Children's Hospital, later professor of medicine at the University of Sheffield. She studied pre-clinical medicine at Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
, and in 1932 completed her clinical studies at the Royal Free Hospital
Royal Free Hospital
The Royal Free Hospital is a major teaching hospital in Hampstead, London, England and part of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust....
, London. She gained experienced in hospital posts in Manchester and London, before returning to the Royal Free Hospital as a registrar
Specialist registrar
A Specialist Registrar or SpR is a doctor in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland who is receiving advanced training in a specialist field of medicine in order eventually to become a consultant...
. In 1941 she took a teaching post at the Oxford University Medical School
John Radcliffe Hospital
The John Radcliffe Hospital is a large tertiary teaching hospital in Oxford, England.It is the main teaching hospital for Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University. As such, it is a well-developed centre of medical research. It also incorporates the Medical School of the University of Oxford....
, and it was here she developed her interest in social medicine, advising on health problems experienced by wartime munitions workers.
Epidemiological studies
The department of social and preventive medicine at Oxford was created in 1942, with Stewart as assistant head. In 1950 she succeeded as head of the unit, but to her disappointment she was not granted the title of "professor", as awarded to her predecessor, because by then the post was considered not to be of great importance. Nonetheless, in 1953 the Medical Research CouncilMedical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
allocated funds to her pioneering study of x-rays as a cause of childhood cancer, which she worked on from 1953 until 1956. Her results were initially regarded as unsound, but her findings on fetal damage caused by x-rays of pregnant women were eventually accepted worldwide and the use of medical x-rays during pregnancy and early childhood was curtailed as a result. Stewart retired in 1974.
Her most famous investigation came after her formal retirement, while an honorary member of the department of social medicine at the University of Birmingham. Working with Professor Thomas Mancuso of the University of Pittsburgh she examined the sickness records of employees in the Hanford plutonium production plant, Washington state, and found a far higher incidence of radiation-induced ill health than was noted in official studies. Sir Richard Doll
Richard Doll
Sir William Richard Shaboe Doll CH OBE FRS was a British physiologist who became the foremost epidemiologist of the 20th century, turning the subject into a rigorous science. He was a pioneer in research linking smoking to health problems...
, the epidemiologist respected for his work on smoking-related illnesses, attributed her anomalous findings to a "questionable" statistical analysis supplied by her assistant, George Kneale (who was aware of, but may have miscalculated, the unintentional "over-reporting" of cancer diagnoses in communities near to the works). Stewart herself acknowledged that her results were outside the range considered statistically significant. Today, however, her account is valued as a response to the perceived bias in reports produced by the nuclear industry.
In 1986 she was added to the roll of honour of the Right Livelihood Foundation
Right Livelihood Award
The Right Livelihood Award, also referred to as the "Alternative Nobel Prize", is a prestigious international award to honour those "working on practical and exemplary solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the world today". The prize was established in 1980 by Jakob von Uexkull, and is...
, an annual award presented in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. Stewart eventually gained her coveted title of "professor" through her appointment as a professorial fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. In 1997 Stewart was invited to become the first Chair of the European Committee on Radiation Risk
European Committee on Radiation Risk
The European Committee on Radiation Risk is an informal committee formed in 1997 following a meeting by the European Green Party at the European Parliament to review the Council of Europe's directive 96/29Euratom, issued in May of the previous year....
.
Obituaries
- Anthony Tucker, Guardian, Friday 28 June 2002. Alice Stewart: Pioneering woman scientist whose research into the dangers of x-rays and nuclear radiation shook the establishment. Published in Environment section.
- Carmel McCoubry, New York Times, Thursday 4 July 2002. Alice Stewart, 95; Linked X-Rays to Diseases. Published in Section B, page 8.
- Caroline Richmond, The Independent, Tuesday 9 July 2002. Dr Alice Stewart: Thorn in the side of the nuclear industry.