Hood Dairy Testing Radioactivity in Milk

Soviet nuclear explosions have produced no appreciable rise in the radioactivity of milk in this area, H. P. Hood and Sons announced Monday after two weeks of testing.

Dr. Harry L. Wildasin, Laboratory Director for Hood, said tests have been run on milk from every Hood processor in New England. Some samples have shown no measureable radioactivity, while others have shown measurable but very low radioactivity. No milk so far is considered dangerous by Wildasin and public health officials.

Hood is believed to be the only dairy in the U.S. carrying on such tests. Wildasin has been working in the field for about two years, although no tests had been run before the Russian resumption of nuclear testing.

The results substantiate findings by Dr. Alfred L. Frechette, state Commissioner of Public Health, that fallout radiation in New England is not serious.

Tests are being run in Hood's own laboratories and in those of a New England electronics firm. The dairy is underwriting research, development, and production of portable instruments for testing at producers' farms. The U.S. Public Health Service has asked for details on the new equipment for its own uses.