330:. Crofut was reported to have been found intoxicated, kneeling over a radiation-emitting device and exposing himself to hazardous rays. However, this incident was reported to have left Crofut with no documented injuries. On another occasion, a neighbor claimed that Crofut had been witnessed dousing gasoline over his body with a rag and then making an unsuccessful attempt to ignite himself with a match. Additionally, NRC officials believed Crofut to be an
322:
inside a radiography machine. The NRC discovered that iridium-192 was stolen from a locked radiographer truck less than a mile away from his home at a time which aligned perfectly with when he would have been exposed. The iridium-192 was later found back in its protective casing on another radiographer's back porch. This was
Douglas's neighbor. But up until the end he denied knowing how he got exposed.
237:
burns as "grotesque" and "painful", saying "the area that I looked at was the left side of his chest and it was the most of the left side from his belt line up above his breast. The meat was just completely eaten out and gone for a depth of at least 2 inches". Gibbons said the burns kept growing, finally "eating away until it got to a vital organ—probably his heart. The man was in such obvious pain."
296:. The stolen source contained a capsule of iridium-192, the type suspected of causing injury to Crofut. The NRC believed the device was an unlikely item to have been intentionally stolen, citing there was no known personal use for such a device, nor was there a market to sell it to without raising suspicions.
316:
his radiation injuries. He had previously been a radiographer, getting fired from the job less than a year before his death, and had working knowledge of how the machines worked and how dangerous they were. Given his background as a radiographer it was suspected he could have somehow gained access to
303:
No other potential sources of radiation were identified by the NRC, and the source of radiation which injured Crofut still remains unknown. The NRC investigation was eventually closed without drawing any conclusions. An NRC official reportedly described the situation as "weird", and "one with a lot
264:
Shortly after Crofut first sought medical care, when it was determined he had been exposed to a powerful source of radiation, his injuries were investigated by the NRC. Initially, officials were concerned that other individuals may have been injured by the same source as Crofut. Both his sister and
358:
as a potential source of exposure, as well as the possibility that Crofut could have unknowingly come into contact with the stolen iridum-192 device at some point in
Henryetta. It remains unknown if Crofut himself believed that his injuries came as a result of workplace exposure or by some unknown
321:
and placed it into his shirt pocket for at least five minutes, receiving what ultimately proved to be a fatal dosage of radiation. This was further suggested when the first suspected radioactive material he had come into contact with was iridium-192. Iridium-192 was what one would typically find
236:
Due to the "extremely rare" circumstances of Crofut's injury, his story was followed by the media, who reported his death to be "agonizing". One doctor stated that his cells "were degenerating before our very eyes". Following his death, Crofut's attorney, Richard
Gibbons, described the radiation
299:
Ultimately, the stolen iridium-192 source turned up on the back porch of a third radiographer also living in Crofut's neighborhood. Neither of the two other radiographers was believed to have been involved in the theft or in Crofut's injuries. Crofut himself denied any knowledge of the stolen
216:
were being considered. However, doctors were uncertain of his ultimate prognosis. It was believed that the radiation Crofut had received was "probably lethal". His deep burns continued to worsen, requiring intermittent hospitalization over the next six months. Officials reported that Crofut's
325:
The NRC further suggested a possible self-harm theory after looking into Crofut's personal and professional background. One past example which was cited occurred on
December 13, 1979, when Crofut was fired from Tulsa Gamma Ray Inc. (now TGR Industrial Services) for
401:
Sources disagree as to whether the stolen iridium-192 source was located prior to Crofut being hospitalized (most giving
January 5 as the date it was located) or whether it was located only after Crofut had already been hospitalized (on January
192:
and external bleeding from his left arm and torso. Crofut's sister reported that the burns were of such severity that his left nipple had been burnt away. Doctors determined that Crofut had suffered a massive exposure to an unknown source of
292:(along with its protective container) had been reported stolen from a locked truck belonging to a pipe-line inspection company. This incident occurred at the residence of a second radiographer, only a half-mile away from Crofut's home in
284:
or 405 rads, respectively (at around 400 rads, roughly 50% people exposed will die). The NRC believed Crofut's injuries were consistent with radiation exposure occurring between
December 15, 1980, and January 10, 1981.
252:, at the time of Crofut's death, stated that he knew of no other deaths directly attributable to a radioactive source, and Crofut was believed to be the first American to die of radiation injuries since the
288:
One particularly unusual circumstance concerned the difficulty in determining the radioactive source which had caused Crofut's injuries. The NRC discovered that on
December 30, 1980, an industrial
300:
radiographic device, and a NRC spokesman stated Crofut had never been employed by the company from whose truck the iridium disappeared and he had not been directly tied to the theft.
525:
229:
Crofut continued to undergo treatment for the burns to his chest and left arm in the months following his initial injury. On June 1, 1981, he was placed into
312:
Following Crofut's injury and eventual death, a number of NRC investigators and other officials commented to the media that they suspected Crofut may have
334:
who was deeply in debt and had difficulty keeping a job. He was reported to have a record of sixteen arrests between 1974 and 1980, with most being
212:
By mid-March of that year, Crofut appeared to show some signs of improvement. His medical status was upgraded to 'fair', and it was reported that
441:
640:
757:
762:
486:
742:
732:
136:. It is the only U.S. death attributable to an unknown source of radiation, and the only known case in the U.S. of a suspected
737:
606:
671:
317:
one of the machines used and using his knowledge from when he operated one, removed the iridium capsule from its heavy
124:. His death was the first of its kind in the United States since the 1940s, when radiation deaths occurred during the
289:
596:
198:
129:
752:
241:
412:
42:
569:
383:
767:
747:
157:
153:
113:
101:
727:
722:
351:
327:
313:
8:
354:
as a result of Crofut's radiation exposure. Gibbons mentioned Crofut's last workplace in
339:
293:
245:
121:
90:
181:
161:
141:
350:
Following his death, Richard
Gibbons stated that he would consider potentially taking
116:
who inspected oil and natural gas pipelines. He died in intensive care as a result of
602:
253:
125:
206:
189:
117:
78:
65:
168:-based pipeline inspection firm. Some of Crofut's neighbors described him as a "
373:
318:
230:
526:"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday attributed the agonizing death..."
716:
378:
359:
exposure to the stolen iridium-192 source, prior to it being re-located.
335:
273:
221:, burned off his left nipple, and ate deep into his body like a cancer."
218:
265:
ex-wife were tested, with neither showing signs of radiation poisoning.
368:
355:
281:
213:
133:
331:
277:
269:
233:
due to an ongoing infection, which resulted in his death on July 27.
194:
442:"AROUND THE NATION; Radiation Poisoning Kills A Former Radiographer"
641:"WORKER'S PROBABLY 'LETHAL DOSE' OF RADIOACTIVITY IS UNDER INQUIRY"
249:
185:
46:
165:
137:
268:
NRC tests performed on Crofut indicated he had been exposed to
197:. In late January, Crofut was transferred to another hospital (
202:
169:
152:
Prior to injury, Douglas Crofut was a 38-year-old unemployed
16:
1981 death of
American radiographer from radiation poisoning
598:
Encyclopedia of
Terrorist, Natural, and Man-made Disasters
180:
On January 22, 1981, Crofut was brought to a hospital in
188:, by his sister, who noticed that he was suffering from
112:(November 6, 1942 – July 27, 1981) was an American
714:
570:"NRC links death of man to radiation poisoning"
304:of quirks in it that so far defy explanation."
280:. The estimated dosage was believed to be 356
345:
205:) due to his condition as a result of severe
164:in October 1980, when he was employed with a
672:"Follow-Up on the News; 'Lethal' Radiation"
160:. He was reported to have last worked with
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
594:
254:early days of atomic bomb experimentation
240:Karl Seyfrit, who was director of the US
638:
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
463:
696:
694:
692:
543:
715:
669:
665:
663:
661:
634:
632:
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
436:
434:
432:
430:
428:
520:
518:
516:
514:
512:
510:
508:
460:
758:Unsolved deaths in the United States
689:
588:
395:
658:
615:
601:. Jones and Bartlett. p. 138.
487:"Radiation source in death mystery"
425:
217:radiation injuries had "destroyed
13:
763:Deaths by acute radiation syndrome
670:Haitch, Richard (March 29, 1981).
639:Franklin, Ben (February 5, 1981).
505:
14:
779:
406:
307:
413:Douglas Crofut's online memorial
396:
259:
147:
743:People from Henryetta, Oklahoma
701:"Radiation Victim Improving".
1:
733:Accidental deaths in Oklahoma
418:
242:Nuclear Regulatory Commission
738:Deaths by person in Oklahoma
314:intentionally self-inflicted
7:
595:Greenberg, Michael (2006).
362:
77:Injuries caused by unknown
10:
784:
529:United Press International
346:Accidental exposure theory
175:
97:
85:
73:
54:
28:
21:
389:
224:
574:The Des Moines Register
384:List of unsolved deaths
158:X-raying pipeline welds
154:industrial radiographer
102:Industrial radiographer
110:Douglas Harris Crofut
23:Douglas Harris Crofut
753:Suicides in Oklahoma
338:violations, such as
328:alcohol intoxication
199:St. Francis Hospital
162:sources of radiation
89:West Lawn Cemetery,
703:The Daily Oklahoman
340:public intoxication
294:Henryetta, Oklahoma
290:radiographic device
156:who specialized in
122:radiation poisoning
91:Henryetta, Oklahoma
74:Cause of death
676:The New York Times
645:The New York Times
446:The New York Times
142:radiation exposure
705:. March 12, 1981.
608:978-0-7637-3782-5
126:Manhattan Project
107:
106:
775:
707:
706:
698:
687:
686:
684:
682:
667:
656:
655:
653:
651:
636:
613:
612:
592:
586:
585:
583:
581:
566:
541:
540:
538:
536:
522:
503:
502:
500:
498:
483:
458:
457:
455:
453:
438:
400:
244:(NRC) office in
61:
39:November 6, 1942
38:
36:
19:
18:
783:
782:
778:
777:
776:
774:
773:
772:
713:
712:
711:
710:
700:
699:
690:
680:
678:
668:
659:
649:
647:
637:
616:
609:
593:
589:
579:
577:
576:. July 30, 1981
568:
567:
544:
534:
532:
531:. July 30, 1981
524:
523:
506:
496:
494:
493:. July 30, 1981
485:
484:
461:
451:
449:
448:. July 30, 1981
440:
439:
426:
421:
409:
392:
365:
348:
310:
262:
227:
207:radiation burns
190:radiation burns
178:
150:
140:undertaken via
118:radiation burns
79:gamma radiation
69:
66:Tulsa, Oklahoma
63:
59:
50:
43:Okmulgee County
40:
34:
32:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
781:
771:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
709:
708:
688:
657:
614:
607:
587:
542:
504:
459:
423:
422:
420:
417:
416:
415:
408:
407:External links
405:
404:
403:
391:
388:
387:
386:
381:
376:
374:Harry Daghlian
371:
364:
361:
347:
344:
319:lead shielding
309:
308:Suicide theory
306:
272:, either from
261:
258:
231:intensive care
226:
223:
177:
174:
149:
146:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
87:
83:
82:
75:
71:
70:
64:
62:(aged 38)
56:
52:
51:
41:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
780:
769:
768:1981 suicides
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
748:Radiographers
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
720:
718:
704:
697:
695:
693:
677:
673:
666:
664:
662:
646:
642:
635:
633:
631:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
610:
604:
600:
599:
591:
575:
571:
565:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
530:
527:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
511:
509:
492:
488:
482:
480:
478:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
447:
443:
437:
435:
433:
431:
429:
424:
414:
411:
410:
399:
398:
394:
393:
385:
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
370:
367:
366:
360:
357:
353:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
323:
320:
315:
305:
301:
297:
295:
291:
286:
283:
279:
275:
271:
266:
260:Investigation
257:
255:
251:
247:
243:
238:
234:
232:
222:
220:
215:
210:
208:
204:
200:
196:
191:
187:
183:
173:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
148:Personal life
145:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
103:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
67:
58:July 27, 1981
57:
53:
48:
44:
31:
27:
20:
702:
679:. Retrieved
675:
648:. Retrieved
644:
597:
590:
578:. Retrieved
573:
533:. Retrieved
528:
495:. Retrieved
491:Gadsen Times
490:
450:. Retrieved
445:
397:
379:Louis Slotin
352:legal action
349:
324:
311:
302:
298:
287:
267:
263:
239:
235:
228:
211:
179:
151:
114:radiographer
109:
108:
86:Burial place
60:(1981-07-27)
728:1981 deaths
723:1942 births
274:iridium-192
219:bone marrow
214:skin grafts
717:Categories
419:References
369:Demon core
356:New Mexico
336:liquor law
270:gamma rays
134:New Mexico
130:Los Alamos
98:Occupation
35:1942-11-06
681:March 28,
650:March 28,
580:March 28,
535:March 28,
497:March 28,
452:March 28,
332:alcoholic
278:cobalt-60
246:Arlington
195:radiation
363:See also
250:Virginia
186:Oklahoma
182:Okmulgee
81:exposure
47:Oklahoma
166:Houston
138:suicide
605:
176:Injury
93:, U.S.
68:, U.S.
49:, U.S.
390:Notes
225:Death
203:Tulsa
170:loner
683:2020
652:2020
603:ISBN
582:2020
537:2020
499:2020
454:2020
402:22).
282:rads
120:and
55:Died
29:Born
276:or
201:in
172:".
128:at
719::
691:^
674:.
660:^
643:.
617:^
572:.
545:^
507:^
489:.
462:^
444:.
427:^
342:.
256:.
248:,
209:.
184:,
144:.
132:,
45:,
685:.
654:.
611:.
584:.
539:.
501:.
456:.
37:)
33:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.