radiation sickness: syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within hours
syndrome: a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
pessimism: a general disposition to look on the dark side and to expect the worst in all things