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STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION U.S. Atomic Energy Commission This report of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine covers the9l st session at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory on March 9 and 10, 1962 and the 92nd meeting at the University of Michigan May 11 and 12, 1962. Because discussions initiated at Los Alamos were not completed until the meeting a t Ann Arbor, it has seemed desirable to make a combined report for the two sessions. Dr. Dunham has kept us informed concerning the program developments We are pleased with the decisions which have resulted in the appointi n biomedicine a t Argonne National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboraments of Dr. Max Zelle as Director,Biological & Medical Research Division ANL, and Dr.Victor Bond, a s Chairman, Medical Department, a t BNL. We are confident that the scientific vigor which has characterized the medical programs of both laboratories will continue under the new heads and w e antic i pate the prosecution of new lines of research in the future.. A t WSL we note that the health and safety problems of the Rover Program are being considered by a new organization which i s budgeted by the Reactor Development Division and which seems t o be functionally and scientifically separate from the other biological and medical research of H-Division. We were impressed with the complexities of the health and safety aspects of the Rover Program and we feel that this group, with whatever expansion might be necessary, should attack on a broad front the operational safety problems of nuclear propelled rockets as well as the immediate health and safety considerat ions of the static testing program. that the scientific orientation should be closely guided by the Division of Biology and Medicine, irrespective of the location of the administrative and To achieve these objectives we fee l.. The biomedical research program a t LASL was originally established to deal with the medical aspects of the weapons development a t LASL. This it has done with substantial results to the profit of the Commission's program. We feel that it is most important that this portion of the laboratory continue t o give its primary attention to those scientific areas associated with the fundamental mission of LASL and for which there are available unequalled special facilities and skills. We would view with grave concern are direction of program which would eventuate in work which could be accomplished with equal o r greater expedition in other institutions if this redirection were a t the cost of primary mission.
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The nature of the LASL work justifies its isolation but this also brings its intellectual costs. We would encourage, especially in the biomedical field, greater association with the University of California and an increase in the amount of staff travel to other institutions both inthe U.S. and abroad. We would also urge an enhanced flow of visiting scientists to the extent that security considerations will permit. With respect tothe consequences of nuclear war,we have been increasingly impressed with the inadequacy of the studies which have been made. There has been great preoccupation with the radiological effects to the general neglect of the meaning of a retrogression of society to the health and environmental conditions of 50 t o 100 years ago. For as long as two generations there could be a shortening o f - life expectancy from infectious disease,malnutrition,etc., that would completely overshadow the delayed radiation effects and profoundly affect their emergence:- Consequently, w e are fully in accord with the decision to establish the new Technical Analysis Branch i n DBM which will have the resp on sibi lit y military plans and positions. activities of the new branch. for making the broad studies of the ultimate consequences of various This conanittee hopes t o follow closely the The radiation preservation of foods is a subject about which w e have made comment on several previous occasions. spasmodic and, at times, almost capricious nature of the program. There is no doubt whatever i n our minds that radiation has great potential economic value i n prolonging the useful shelf life of many packaged foods, i n delaying and controlling the ripening of fruits and vegetables, and i n reducing the economic losses ingrains occasioned by insects. part military and which are properly to be considered of primary concern tothe Commission. We urge, therefore,that an adequate program of food preservation by radiation be maintained by AEC on a basis of continuity. There should be liaison with interested agencies but there should also be the organizational and budgetary recognition of the Commission's responsibility for the essentially We continue t o be distressed by the These are matters which are not in large A t Ann Arbor, we had the privilege of reviewing the program of the Phoenix . .-Memorial Project of the University of Michigan, a multidisciplinary atomic energy University project which was initiated after Norld War I1 and entirely outside of the Federal Government. It has been an intramural university organization which has had a great impact on the development of scientific research by the various faculties and has contributed to the strength of the U.S. inthe nuclear energy field.In breadth and quality of program itis an outstanding example of scientific initiative on a University-wide basis. o f Michigan isto be commended for its foresight in developing this program. We feel that the University Finally, may w e express t o you and to the other Commissioners our a p - pre cia tion of your meeting with us from time to time. these occasions are of great value to us i n maintaining a balanced perspective The informal exchanges on
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The next meeting of ACBM will be held at AEC HQ on June 8 and 9,at which time the program of the Division of Biology and Medicine will be Absent: Dr. James Hors fall Leonidas D. Marine lli