Nuclear energy has served mankind for many years, and while it brings convenience to people, it also carries hidden dangers, and once leaked it can be a devastating disaster for a region. Humans exposed to nuclear radiation will suffer from incurable radiation sickness, and at the same time, they will be in so much pain that they will want to end their lives quickly.
Hisa Ouchi was one of the victims of the leak, and he survived for 83 days before he died.
01
A nuclear fuel treatment plant in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, suddenly emitted a loud bang one night in late September 1999, and with it spread radiation outward. This invisible substance rippled out to more than two hundred people, whose lives and health were threatened.
On the night of the incident, Hisashi Ouchi and his colleagues were configuring the solution as usual, but after the solution was poured into the precipitation tank, the tank suddenly glowed a bright blue, and in an instant, a chain nuclear fission reaction took place, with a large amount of γ-rays and neutrons emanating from it.
The release from this critical accident was relatively small, but the amount released was so large that Hisashi Ouchi and his colleagues endured most of the radiation. Of these, Hisashi Ouchi was the closest and so suffered the most radiation, about 20,000 times the upper limit of what an adult can withstand per year.
Rescuers arrived at the scene and found that the two men hadn't suffered much damage on the surface; their skin was just a little darker, with no signs of burns, and they weren't unconscious.
Dr. Maekawa was initially confident that he could cure these two special patients after admitting them, but the situation took a sharp turn for the worse a few days later. The 23 pairs of chromosomes that had been normal were bombarded by radiation and shattered into pieces.
The doctors knew that the chances of survival in this case were very low, but they did their best to save Ouchiku's life out of humane concern, and looked up a lot of medical records to try to find an effective plan. The first and biggest problem encountered was that Ouchi's white blood cells had dropped dramatically, to the point where even the least damaging bacteria could kill him.
02
The doctors held an emergency meeting and then decided to transplant Ouchi's sister's white blood cells into Ouchi's body. When using this option the doctors were not sure if it would work and had to wait a while to judge the results, in the meantime they moved Ouchiku into a sterile ward.
Ouchiku's condition did not improve, as his skin continued to peel off and his body fluids were oozing out, while he was no longer able to communicate with people. Ouchiku's tattered body destroyed the white blood cells that had been implanted in his body as well, and his cells gained the ability to pass on radiation after receiving it, leading directly to the damage of the foreign cells.
Ouchiku's body suffered from massive bleeding and dehydration, which led to an increased burden on his heart at a rate as fast as a man who was exercising. Then, on the 53rd day, his heart stopped beating suddenly, and doctors were able to revive him but damaged his brain and other organs.
The doctors' initial self-confidence had vanished, and all they could do was to keep Hisashi Ouchi alive without being able to wake him up. Hisashi Ouchi's condition was so bad that life could only be sustained by machines.
Doctors discussed the matter with the family***and decided that if Ouchiku's heart stopped beating again, there was no need to save his life and let it end.
03
On the 83rd day of treatment, after a visit from Hisashi Ouchi's wife and children, the man passed away. His coworkers were not spared the ordeal, and were pronounced dead after more than 200 days of struggling for survival.
While the two men's deaths were sad, they also used their bodies to pave the way for medical research. While the rest of the body's cells were in shreds, the heart muscle cells remained strong and powerful throughout, a subject worthy of in-depth study.
Nuclear energy is very convenient, but if it leaks, it is very dangerous. When using nuclear energy, it is important to follow the rules and regulations and to maintain the equipment regularly, so this is not a matter to be taken lightly.
The radiation emitted will continue to have an impact for decades or even centuries, and it is important to remember the power of this energy source when using it, whether it is used in war or in everyday life, and to establish a good system and implement it to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.