Minutes of the Sixty-Seven Meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine on March 14 and 15, 1958

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The sixty-seventh meting of the Advisory Coaraittee for Biology and Hedicine, The Open Session was convened at 9200 A.M. with the following persons Sineon Te Cantril, Chairman STAFF, DIVISIOi OF BIOW & EDICZHE Charles L. Rmham, Director Harry De Brmer S. Allan tough, Director, HASL, HYW STAFF, Los ALAMOS SCIENTIFIC LABORATOKY (Those listed on the Program, as well as others) OFFICIAL USE OILY

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The liinutes of the Sixty-sixth meeting uese accepted (with two corrections), The meeting was centered on the biomedical problems associated with atomic weapoiis. Dr. Thomas L. Shipman, Health Division Leader of the Los Alaraos Scientific Laboratory, arranged a pr- of talks and site Pisits to illustrate the work at Los Alamos in this field arad to indicate the nature of some future problems. from other IlB# organizations. In addition, the Committee heard relevant reports The principal topics discussed were as follows: I. Proposed 1960 Biomedical Tests II. Hazards Associated with Nuclear Propelled Rockets, Ueapon Storage and Transport, and III. Radioactivity in Han and Hilk IV, Plans for Operation HARDTACK Major Ins%allationsr Word, UCIA Training Programs and OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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I. Proposed 1960 Biomedical Tests Dr. Payne S. Harris concluded that the following shouldbe carried obtain reliable informatioh concerning the exposures at Hiroshinaj (2) a combined injury study involving the effects of radiation, blast, heat and mechanical i n m (3) further testing of shelters, especially w i t h respect to blast and radiation shielding in relation to weapon yield. k i n g discussion, in which Rr. Alvin Graves participated, it became clear that a thorough effort to calculate the rad4ation field of the Hiroshima weapon is needed. The ACEM concluded that it should review the results of such a calculatfon, and also the specific proposals for investigation, before -recommendingthe need for and number of field tests. A staff paper evaluating the need for field tests is now in preparation (Dunham). (1) firing of a duplicate of the Hiroshima weapon in order to 11. Hazards in Nuclear Propelled Rockets, in Ueapon Transport and Storaae. and in Industrial Reactor W ration were discussed by Drs. &enter Schreiber and Glen Grams. uere discussed by Dr. Harris. of plutonium in relation to a transportation accidentuere considered& Dr. Urigbt H. Langham. The great insolubility of plutonium is a majorfactor in diminishing its toxicit$.- Extensive experiments are under way (Project 57) in which relatively large areas have been contaminated at levels of 100 to lOOOyg per sq. meter. Based on the current data, the Nuclear Safety Working G r o t p (TJSWG) has estimated that a spill of 3500pg of plutonium per sq. m a e r would be associated uith an acute inhalation dose of a b w t 25 rems, due to the initial cloud, and a chronic exposure f o r those remaining in the area of 7 millirems per week (Dunning).- _ Dr. Gordon H. Dunning reported that the recommendations of the IJSIfG have been accepted by the Department of Defense and by the AEC. include recommendations discussed at the November 9th meeting of the ACE& Dr.' Duplning also recalled that it has been agreed by the AEC, the Air Force, and the AFSUP that whichever agency has physical possession of a nuclear device is responsible f o r the biomedical problems that may arise in connection with it. In the recent South Carolina incident, the Air Form was in charge, and the other two organizations could have been in attendance to observe or to assist only b emergency teams across the c0untry.f No w c h invitation vas extended in this case, nor in other to date. In executive session, it was agreed that the allocation of responsibility under the present system is a good The radiation hazards associated uith nuclear-propelled rockets The origins of some radiation hazards in current weapon design1 Specific studies dealing uith the toxicity invitation. (The AEC has twelve OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY one. The ACm felt that the failure of the responsible organization to share accident and incident experience uith the non-responsible o m s is a serious defect, especially in v i m of their relative infrequeni=y. All present agreed that the increasing transportation, storage, and bperation of nuclear devices, both f o r military and civilian use, has greatly increased the probability of radiation accidents and incidents. Ebr.'R, L. Corsbie related that an evaluation of the public hazard given by him to the Fcw in 1956 had never been released by FCM. agreed in executive session that the public has not been adequately informed of the probability of such occurrences, nor of the extent of the dangers associated with them -- small as well as large, information will be achieved only by determined, planned, continuous effort, with a variety of educational and informational medica, and not by emergency announcements to the press concerning accidents. Following ACEWs request of November, 1957, the Commission assured Am.,that information regarding the accident at the Windscale reacfm in Englana was being gathered, Since then, an AEC team has dsited Uindscale, and a report on the visit is now being completed. Dr. G. Victor Beard, a member of the AEC team, discussed some of the equivalent to accident or incident planning - each one has its m special requirements. The ACBH looks foruard to seeing the completed report and urges that it be studied carefully at all pertinent installations, both within and outside the AEC organization, III. Radioa&ivity in Han and Milk a contribution to the fallout problem, was presented by D r . E, C. 43 )1yc per gram of potassium, respectively). Georgraphic variations in human levels correlated with variations in the milk supply - about 50% of radiocesium in man is derived from milk. The radioactivity of Zo in the body is very constant, at about 2.5 disintegrations (gamma) per sec. per pound. The utility of the 47'human scintillation counter f o r rapid, routine monitoring was demonstrated by determining the radioactivity of the members of the ACEM. second run with the spectrometer that about 0.1 (about 5% of the maximum permissible body burden7 After Dr, Dunham recalled a grant made to Johns Hopkins f o r a study of Coa-labelled A major conclusion is that catastrophe planning is not The program to determine the Cs137 activity of man and milk, as Average values f o r man in 1956 and 1957 were alike (41 and The correlation Eetueen diocesium levels and rainfall was also noted. Dr. Glass had approximately ten times m e was presentc of Co

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY ' For pablic demonstration at t h e Geneva Conference in September, 1958, a walk-in model scintillation counter of 27lgeoraetry is being Plans for bperation Hardtack The plan for studying fallout outlined by Mr. J.Z. Holland includes the extensive use of tracer techniques and has been formlatedto take advantage of the special possibilities for investigations at high altitudes. Health and Safety Laboratory's Uorld Wide Program and of the Air Force, and is another step in a long-term program. Exe-mtitre Session, Miscellaneous Business The plan involves the close cooperation of the Dr. Dwham brkght the follouing matters before the Committee. Hanford (See Minutes of 66th Meeting). DEM has sent recommendations to the AEC #anager embodying'-the recommendations made by USHI. These should facilitate contact between the W o r d biologists -and their colleagues elsewhere, as suggested by ACENO .biologist has alrew visited the Laboratory). (An Indim copies of 'Dr. Duxihamts letter t o Chancellor Raymond B. Allen of the Unlversftiy of California at Los Angeles stating the conditions t o be satisfied before the AM= v w l d consider the University's proposal. This letter was based on the recornendations of the Reviewing Boar& that met at AEC Headquarters on Januazy 20 and 21, 1958. ChanceuDt Allen's reply accepted the various conditions, including the appofntment of a full-time scientific director with the status of a department head in the Medical School. Training Proqrams and Conferences programs nar total about $715 thousand. total for the entire year will double the present figure, and that maqy proposals will have to be turned down for want of available money . Requests thus far this year to DBM for funds to support training It is anticipated that the The Brookhaven National Laboratory sponsored a meeting February.6 and 7, 1958, to which pathology department chairmen from all medical schools in the United States and Canada were Invited. to discuss the role of isotopes and of radiation pathology in medical teaching and research. In his letter enthusiastically praising the OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY meeting, Dr. Harold Stewart, of the EI, suggested that DBM support staff appointments for radiation pathology uithin the frameuork of the training program shotild be considered, Later, such support, if continued, should be independent of training program funds. Selection of papers and exhibits for the Geneva Conference (September, 1958) is proceeding satisfactorily. Allocation of Fmds to MIH Lacbing funds to support its program in radiation hygiene in the TJIH, the Department of Health, Education, and Uelfare has sought assist: $600 thousand to the IKH, which will support a training program and a number of emrironmqntal and epidemiological studies, including one to improve protection in diagnostic roentgenology. . ance from the AEC, It has been arranged through DBM to allocate Other matters considered i n the Executive Session were the following: Nevada Test Site -. At present, the U, S, Public Health Service details two officers f o r direction of-radiationsafety at the Test Site, one offsite and the other onsite, attachedto the office of the test manager. have been very helpful to the program. on an average of about %30% of the year* in the future, both f o r industrial and military purposes, it may be desirable to have a permanent AEC official in charge of this work. Dr. Dunham will consider uays and means to implement this p r o g m . The Test Site is now used With increasing use UN Scientific Committee Dr. Shields Warren, the U.S. member of t h e United Natioqs Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, reported that the Committee has almost completed its report, to be given-_to the Secretary General by July 1, 1958 and to be presented to the General Assembly in September, at which time it will be made public, The Committee has reached full agreement on the scientific data in Board of Rev iar It was proposed by Dr. J. C. Bugher t h a t a Board of Revieu be set up to revieu the program of DBM, past and present. will be discussed at a future meeting. OFFICIAL USE ONLY