Gardner's hypothesis not proved in West German nuclear power plants

With their assumption, which was based on a case control study, that preconceptional radiation exposure of furthers may be a cause of infant leukaemia, they British epidemiologist Gardner and his colleagues sowed uncertainty especially among the younger staff members of West Germany nuclear power plants. To test Gardner's hypothesis, a cross-sectional investigation was carried out among the staff of West German power plants by the Institute of Medical Statistics and Documentation of Mainz University, headed by Prof. Joerg Michaelis, in cooperation with the works medical officers of West German nuclear power plants. - The findings of the investigation do not support Gardner's hypothesis. (orig.)