Minutes - 11TH Meeting of the AEC Advisory Committee for Biology & Medicine, AEC BLDG., Washington, D.C.

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Advisory Conrnittee f o r Biology and I4ediclne The eleventh meeting o f the Advisory Committee for Biology and Nedicine of the Atomic Energy Comnission was convened 11, 1948, i n Room 213 of the Commission Building i n Present at t h e meeting were Dr. Alan Gregg, Chairman, Members of the Commission and its staff who were also present f o r the meeting included Dr. Robert F, Bacher, Johnson, Hr. Morse Salisbury , Lir. Oliver Townsend, Mr. Haines Finley and Nrs. Frmces Hontgonery. The first order o f business presented tothe Cornittee by the Chairman was R discussion o f the minutes o f the June 11-12 meeting held n t the Argonne National Laboratory. Dr, Hastings made a motion that the ninutes be accepted . as read, Tho notion was seconded by Dr. Staknm and it was carried unanimously.

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The Chairman presented Dr. Bacher and invited hin t o make a few remarks regarding the a in s of the Atonic Zhergy Comnission i n research. i t was his belief that the Cornittee should make a careful study of public opinion relating to atonic energy i n order t o enlighten and guide such opinions and alsoa study should be nade of the over-oltl objective of research i n biology and medicine. Dr. Bacher further stated that it would be extremely useful t o the Copnissioners if, during the course of some of the neetings of the Advisory Connittee for Biology and !Iedicine held this Fall, A restatement of what our philosophy should be in biological and nedical research could be nade. Afull discussion followed and i t was bhe kense of the Connittee that further study would be nade of t h e subjects presented by Dr. Bacher, and a report nade at the meeting t o be hold at IIanford Dr. Warren reported that a comit tee consisting of have been working on a book which will give a general picture of the medical and biological effects of the bonbing o f Hiroahina and Nagasaki. - Itis planned that this book will be writton by the end of the year and it should give the public a better understanding o f the Dr. Bacher stated that

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effects and uses of atomic energy. Report on Apnroved Prodects: Dr. Warren reported that tho projects S u ~ po r t Re s ear ch Projects listed below LTd been approved for support by the Atonic Energy Conmission for research i n the medical and biological sciences since the meeting held on June 12, 1948 at the Argonne National Laboratory. (1) College of Physicians and Surgeons, Netr York City - Radioactive Eiaterizls and toX - my Irradiation on (2) University of Texas - Dr, Jack Myers - Qiological Accmulatlon o f Inorganic Idaterials by Algae" - University of Viaconsin Iledical School - Dr. James purchase one nili curie of C-14 as CHsI. "Dosage Curves Under Varying Conditions of Time and Roontgen Ray Irradiation s " - $4,600 plus overhead. University of Washington Medical School - Dr. Robert Est;?blishnent of Physical and Medical Principles i n the Use of: Artifical ly Radioactive Cobalt 60 for the Trcatnent of Cancer '' - $16,000. Effects of Thorim and the Comparative Effects on Various Types of Internally Ms tribute d Ionizing PFtrticles - FY 1948 $120,000 increased to $140,000. "Nedical and Biological ReseRrch o p the Toxicological

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Grants Hade to Training Centers: Dr. Warren reported on the progress that MRS being made in activating the training programs at the selected training centers and he stated that grants have been nade t o the following Isotopes i n Reproductive and Geminal Tissues During Periods of Quiesczenco and Activation" -$17,300 plus overhead. henoxyacetic'Acid REI Stufiied with t h e Use of Acid and Carbohydrate-amino Acid Relationships University o f Oregon Idodical School - Dr. Edward Cholesterol Fatty Acids and Ketone Bodies i n the "Study o f Relationships between Chemical Structure, Physical Characteristics and Biological Activity inthe Internediate Xetabolism of Nucleic Acid University of Colorado - Dr, Theodore T, Puck -"Study of the Radiation Chemistry of Bacteriophage and Mets.bolisn of Sone Sulfur Oxidesv - $15,200 plus

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"Keasurement o f Volume of Flow o f Blood i n the Kidney and Level o f an Unanesthetized Man by Means o f Radioisotopic ProcedureIt - Original grant $5,000 increased by $7,150 t o $12,150. The following requests for research contracts were Loefer - lrSurvey of Bacterial and Mold Species 'to Find Agents which have Cancerlytic Act$onn. Montefiore IIospital f o r Chronic Diseases, New Filtration of Anions by the Thyroid". Use o f Radioactive Iodine inthe Treatment of T hyr ot oxi c o si SIr. University of Rochester School of Medicine - Serum as a Hems for Understanding the Mechanism o f Blood Coagulation and Application o f the Results o f Such Studies tothe Phenomena of Blood Coagulation' Changes Proposed i n University of California School o f IZedicine - It'J!he Fate of I ht at ions in Free Living Bermuda Bio logic d StRtion for Research, Inc. -r "The Effects of Be tera d in tian on Enzyme Systems",

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Cathode it?ys (Beta Says) o f Monochromatic Energies on Living Cells". "Study o f Problems Xelatac? t o Diseases of The Committee discussed the projects in detail and unanimotlsly endorsed the action of the Director i n approving the gr<mtsmade for support of the research projects and. to the training centers. Dr. Gregg opened a general discussion on the salaries paid t o acadenic and non-academic contractor employees, 110 solution i s apparent to this question i n view of the financial lin it at ions of the universities.Ina general discussion o f analysis o f research contracts expenditures c?own into tenths, sep rating the items for acnc?ernic salaries for tech ici an s, for equipnent, simplies, construction ani! s o on; helpful way of quickly getting the general flavor of a progran and deciding on its General character.

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Research Projects € o r Connission ConsiderEtim: Dr. Warren recomnended t o the Conmittes that additional funds i n the mount of $66,500 be allocated through the Office of Naval Research toDr, Evans at Hassachusett s Institute of Technology for "Radionedicine ReseRrchH, Dr, Warren explained in detail that this problem did not overlap the research projects that had been approved previously f o r Dr. Evans and that after careful study mcl considerntion it was his belief that it WRS of sufficient importance to allocate the additional funds. Afull discussion follow@. Iioved by Dr, Hastingg, seconded by Dr. Wearn m d voted unanimously, t h t the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine approve that the Office o f Naval Research be notified that funds i n the mount of $66,500 are available for one yenr for the support of il research Dr, Wearn absented himself fron the rooa during the following discussion a i d voting.

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Dr. Vm-ren reported to the Comit tee on the progress ofthe work now being Carrie6 on by Dr, Wood at Western Reserve University and recormended t o the Comit tee that this research be extended for an additional year and that funds in the an out of $34,695 be allocated for this work. Afull discussion followed. unaninously that the Advisory Cornittee for Bio lo Ry <and I4edicine Fspprove t h a t the Office of Naval Research be notified that funds i n the mount of $34,695 are available for one year for the renewal ofa research project at Western Reserve University unfier the mediary iietakolisn on Carbohydrates by Bacteria". (3) Northwestern University - Dr. J, iioscoe Hiller -"Proposal f o r t h e Establishment of a Radioisotopic Unit for Tnstruction, Research and Therapy - Dr. Warren discussed. in detail the pl<m for establishing s radioisotopic unit for instruction, research m d therapy for uee o f medical students at Northwestern first - hwd knowledge of the hunnn atonic bonb The unit wouli! be under the direct

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rzai at i on p r ob1 en a t Xzgggi&i . Moved by Dr. Beadle, second by Dr. Hastings and voted unanimously thnt the Advisory Conmittee for Biology and Nedicine approve t h a t the Office of Naval Research be notified that funds i n the mount o f $27,120 (including overhead) are available for one year for the "Establishment ofa Radioisotopic Unit for Instruction, Research and Therapy". progress inthe Civil Defense Planning. Dr, George Lyon, who WRS i n charge o f radiological safety at the Bikini tests and i s thoroughly qualified in this field,is beading up R panel t o carry on this Dr, Lyon i s working closely with officials of the Dr. Varren stated further that Atonic Energy Conmission. Eilr, Salisbury expressed his views RS t o the possible information that could be released by the &tonic Energ Commission that could a i d Civil Defense Planning, discussion took place I n which all members of the Committee expressed their views on the subject. vas thought probable t h a t the Nat$.onal Academy of Science orthe Social Science Research Council might

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trJte sone fiction on how t o best inpart infornation tothe public. It was the sense of the Connittee that the matter rep i red. serious study, and i n view ofa neeting o f the Social Science Research Council inthe near future, that action should be withheld end the subject would be again considered at the Han for a meeting. Fellowships. Dr, Bowers reported on the meeting of the Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Board inthe Biological m d Biophysical Sciences held on September 9, 1948. He stated that twenty-six Rdditional fellowships i n 1 t h e Pre-Doctoral group had been mrarded, making a Post-Doctoral biological sciences and fourteen awards inthe I3ed,icnl Sciences and twenty fellow’ships inthe Hezilth Physics croup. Five awards hnve been mnOe i n the D r , Ffarren discussed the present policy of security for fellows mef tho Cornittee. endorsed the view that security clearance should not be required of persons awarded fellowships unless they were t o have access to classified infornation or restricted areas. Draft Deferment f o r Fellows and AFC Personnel.Draft Deferment U C Personnel Dr. Jensen told of conferences that are. currently

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being held with person Energy Conmission to establish certain categories that areto be considered for defernent, ff ici also f the Atomic Dr, GregG reported on h i s recent meeting with Mr, National Security Resources Board regarding the categories that would be considered for defernent. Afull discussion followed and it was agreed that further study should be made on this problem. Construction o f Construction of R Building at UCLA for Nuclear a Building at Reseerch in Bio lom md Med.iclne. Wr. Wilson UCLA for Nuclear Besearch i n outlined briefly the initial starTes, as he knew Medicine them, of the proposed. buildine € or training purposes at the University of California, Los Angeles, which was included i n the budget of the Atomic Energy Coniission for Fiscal Year 1948. prdgran during the first six months of the fiscal He sunmnrized the year before the Advisory corn it tee for Biology a d Medicine cane Into existence, He stated further that the Commission did not regard the item of $1,500,000 I n the budget for l?iscal Year 1948 for a building as a firm figure md that they expected that such itoms would be reviewed at a later date, He then asked Dr, McLean to tell the Cormittee his

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thr.t Dr. Stxfford Warren was o f the belief that the Atomic Enera Comission corvnitted itself to build the building when it placed an item o f $1,500,000 inits budget for Fiscal Year 1948. Mr. Tyler, ?&4anagerof Los Bzanos Operations Office, believed the matter should be reconsidered on its Dr. McLcan reported further on the budget for Fiscal Year 1949 a s submitted by Dr. Stafford warren and tola of tho broad radiobiology contenplated by Dr. Warren as he had outlined i n hi8 budget est in ate for Fiscal Year 1949. This estimate again included an item f o r construction of the building. Dr. McLean stated that i n his opinion the tenporary buildings now i n use ,and available were entirely adequate forn dontinunticn of the activities and research undertaken by the Atonic Energy Commission anr? should be adequate f o r some years t o come. After R thorough discussion, the Committee voted unanimously that the 'Comission should be advised by t h e Director of the Division of Biology and

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Medicine that on the ner its of the request now presented by Dr. Stafford 'darcn orthe University of California that Itthey did not believe t h a t the funds f o r the building should be granteCi". Atomic Casuzlty Commission. reported on the over-all prog rm of the Atomic Comni ssi on Casualty Comissim and on the progress o f the work i n Japan, and brief lg presented some of their current The problen o f the yen rate has been solved This will affect FC considerable savings in the current payroll and i n the purchase to devise the Joint Chiefs of Staff that it has no The Atonic Energy Coxmission a r e planning object im to publication of Japanese-brighated papers concerning the nedical effects of the bonb, provic?ed they were not done i n collaboration t&th Anerican personnel who had had access to classified Dr. Owen reported on the progress o f the building basis has been approved by the S t a t e mil War Departments and such infornation has been conveyed toSW. The acquiring of lmds on a lease-hold

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J,ns Alamos Medical Procran. the nedical and biological activities at Loa Almos, stressing the division o f authority which now exists anon(= the Nodical Director, University o f California contractor and the Zia Corporation. Upon Dr, IfcLem's reconmendatinn that there should be an integration of medicine and biology at Los Alamos, It was mooed by Dr. Stakman, seconded by Dr. Hastings and unanimously approved by the Committee that the University of California should be asked t o take over the responsibility f nr the professional affairs of the medical m d surgical staff of the hospital as woll as t h e biological progrm. The Conmittee adjourned f o r lunch at 1:OO P.M. and Dr, Gregg introduced I!r. Carleton Shugg, forner h nager of the Hmford Operations Office, as the new Deputy 14amzer ofthe Atonic Energy Comission. t o tho Comnit'tee the proposed reorganization of the stnff of the AtonLc Energy Connission, with particular emphasis on activities of the Division o f Biology and Dr, warren briefly outlined

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reorgnnization within the Division and the Division Dr. Warren presented the preliminary report of the panel on RW and explained.th8 medical and biological progrrm ns well as the proposed plans f o r the fields outside of bio log Rnd nedicine. Afull discussion was held on the activities …