Minutes Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine Sixteenth Meeting Held at Atomic Energy Commission

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Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine The sixteenth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine ofthe ktornic Energy Commission was held at the A X Suilding, tlashingtdfi,; 334.. wlth the Chairman, Dr, Ahin Dr. D. W. Bronk was unable t o be present Division of Bio lom Minutes of 14eetInE of A p r i l 8 and 9, 1949. t h e last meeting (April 8-9, 1949) were approved unanimously Capt. Harry bight The minutes of

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Report on Su port of Research Projects. The following research projects that had been approved by the Division of Biology and Medicine since its last meeting were reviewed with interest and the Committee expressed commendation of the staff for their efforts in screening1. the projects, au Projects approved. ' I To Oak Rid m : Paid. J. Xramer and Karl M. Vilbur. Studies of Electrolyte and Fluid Balance in Health Study of the Absorption of Phosphorus by Pine Seed- (1) Shell Formation i n €lolluses and Barnacles as Studied by Radioisotopes . Liver Cell Nucleus (Vilbur) - $10,434 - 7/1/49 t o The Isolation and 14embrane Permeability o f the EL Distribution and Turnover of Sodium and Potassium i n-- Acute Infections (Eiarrell) - $13,C75, Hormonal and Pharmncologicd Actions on the Formation Toxicity of P-32 as Related tothe Functional Gapcity Effects on Sdamander Larvae" - $5,547 - 12/12/49 t o To Chicapo Office:

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Sterilization of Blood and Plasma with Xitrogen i?!ustards" - tions on the 'use of Zirconium as a Radioopaque I.4edian - o f L%dioactive Indicators i n the Study of the Mode of relationships with Amino Acids" - $4,800 - 6/1/49 t o Effects of Radioactive Substances on PlcmC Pathogens 3lect ro static Generator for Use on 1i4icrobeam1 Effects Study Being Conducted Through Oi7R1' - $103,500. To New York Office: "i?urther Studies on the l~fetabolismof the Teeth with Special Regard t o ihdioisotope Studies on the Enamel" - Gamna Rays) - 1 yr. duration, l'5fficfency o f Present Water Treatment Ilethods i n Removing

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lationship o f Flavmoid Structur.es t o Radiation Acids, Nucleoprotein : n ? u cleo tides and Xelated Organic Study of Nuclear Microchemical and Biophysical Stady of Tumors and Effects of Radiation Upon Cells1*- $36,000 - 1 yr. duration. To Hanford Office: TO Oak Xidge Office: Proposals extended since April 8-9 meeting: lietabolism o f Some Sulfur Oxides" - $13,000; original "The Nutrition of Tapeworms. The Physiological Action -To Saiita Fe Office: Bacterjophage and Iiadiation Kechanismsn -(Trsfd, from OKR) - $39,000; Original grant $46,264 - T o t a l - $85,264

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red Absorption Spectra of Nucleic Acids, h i n o Acids To Hanford Office: of Radioactive Isotopes i n Germ Cells and Reproductive "Postdoctoral Training i n Basic Sciences; Application of Raetioactive .Tracer Technique in the Field of Cellular FroDosals declined since April 8-9 meeting: Trace Elements i n the Stub of IktaboPism ofEL Tuber- "Study o f the Long Term &-dintion Effects o f Internally Administ ered Bet a ait ters" .If of Eem.in and Other Metdloporphyrins i n Normal and Neotion Work on the Parasitic Wasp, i??.%robracon". 'Wonitoring Fhdiation with Living Plants ad Microorganisms Nutrition of Uni cell ul sr Orgrn'lsms and the Requirement of Pa rie ties or Xutante Induced by R?diationl'.

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Study of the Mode of Action of Antibncterial Agents'l. and Antiobiotic Betatron of Compounds Forming Complexes with Metals and Effect of Trace Elements on Bacterial Natural iicmbrcane t o Gases and Ions". t ional Edema and Anemia as Influenced by Choline". Support o f Basic Research. ate scientific fields.in which tkie Atomic Energy Commission should supDort research projects i n biology, medicine and biophysics was thoroughly discussed. The broad subject of t h e apprdpriDr, Warren reviewed the program as tothe scope of r e search that hiid been initiated, Therein attention had been prirn;irily focused on projects denling with the effects of ionizing radiation on pro';opla-sm inits various manifestations, contamination and dccontamhnti 011 problems and selected Dr, Bowers outlined .the present procedures i n screening projects and means by which informattoll i s placed before * .- . interested persons to fan ilia rize them with the research fields of interest.

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Dr. Varren stated th t aqnouncenent o f the research progrm had been made periodically i n the Journal of the rlmerican liedical hssociation and i n Science. It was his his belief also that the wi2.e fist ri but ion of the specic?l edition o f Buclear Science Abstracts, which contains material from the projects th&, the Division i s primarily interested i n i s the best source of'disseminating information on the The Committee recommended that a summary o f all research projects that have been approved by the Division be prepared, including a statement iis t o the duration o f each contract for consideration at their next meeting. 'Phis summary will enable them t o evaluate the program as t o the fields of research that should be considered i n the future. The Coxmaittee fw the r recommended that each investigator should be aOvised at; the tine 02 the inception ofhis contract that if the work progresses satisfactorily an$. worthwhile results a r e paramount that he may reasonable expect; a renewal of the contract. This stateneni would enable ewh investigator t o plan fonmrd financing o f h3.s program. Foreign Distribution of F;lEoactioe Isotopes. The Director reviewed the foreign distribution of radioactive isotope program ?lasing the following statistics in the record concerning bhe biternational distribution of re-dioactlve isotopes.

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(First 20 llonths, September 3, 1947 t o April 30, 1949) Iso tone No. o f Shipments

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* Total shipments of all isotopes for which no figures are given is 15, representing 85,3 millicuries. (First 20 Months, September 3, 1947 t o April 30, 1949) Union o f South Africa British West Africa After a full discussion, the Cornittee uaninously recomended that the following endorsement o f the Foreign Distribution o f iiadioactive Isotopes progran should be for - warded t o the Chairman for information. "The Advisory Comnittee for Biology and Medicine has reviewed from the standpoint of bio loa and nedicine the United States program for the foreign distribution o f radioisotop2.s. It isour understanding that more than 90% of tho shipments thus far sent a%road have been f o r uses i n medical therapy and in sr5ientific research i n biology and medicine.

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We have a l s o considered the suggestions which have been advanced that the uses t o which these ra2ioisotopes night be pat could possibly be disadvantageous t o the security of the United States. The ALvisory Committee f o r Biology and bledicine believe tft-t the foreign radioactive distribution program f o r di,agnosis, therapy and research in biology md medicine i s ndvnntageous t o the United States and helps i n assuring the broad scientific progress which36 s o inportant t o our n nti on d The Adviso$I& .it tee for Biology and Medicine strongly endorses continuatloSSI, of the foreign distribution LOS 8 1 ~ 3 0 s . The Deputy Director reported on his recent studies of the existing and propoeed biological, nedlcal and biophysical programs at L o s Alanos. He stated that a closer connection between tho Health Division i n the laboratow and the staff of the hospital i s needed. However, itis not deened advisable t o attempt t o place the hospital under the direction of the University o f California but rather t o z tt qt to develop the hospital as a connunity enterprise with a Board o f Governors from the ci.tiz.ens of Los Alamos. It was the opinion of t h e Cornittee that it would be advantageous t o secure a highly qurrlified physician as Chief of Professional Services as well as a hospital superintendent trained in ho qi tal administration. It was recommended that these appointments be held i n abeyance until Dr. Rufus Rorem has completed his study, sometime i n July, ofthe medical care program at Los Alaos.

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the industrial aspects of the uranium program i n the United States including the mining and processing activities in the The Deputy 3irector further reported on The Committee tecognized the need for the Commission t o consider the extent of it hp on sil lili ty in these activities as it i s apparent that i n many of them there are levels of injurious agents which exceed those considered t o be safe from t h e health standpoint. Sixth Semiannual Report, the Si-xth Seniannual Report t o the Congress which i s focused primarily on biology and medicine, Dr, Warren reviewed the status of Consultant t o the Division o f 33iology and Medicine and Chief of Industrial I4edicine at the Eastman Kodak Compw, gave an oral report on his survey o f the health hazards i n certain A X areas and in facilities producing and processing uranium. Dr, Sterner till consult with members o f the staff of the Division fro3 time t o time on health problems at the install a - Fellowship Program. Dr, ?i'arren presented the factual back: Program ground on the fellowship program, including a summary of the hearings before the Joint Congrossional Committee on

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Forcim Scientists at Tr zi ning Courses at O& 2idgc. Dr. %rcn spoke o f the interest displayed by foreign scientists in their attending the Institute of Nuclear Physics at Oak Ridge for training i n techniques for t h e hearings before the Senate Appropriation Committee. stated that it is proposed that the funds ,allocated t o the A3C will be reduced by 15$ and furthermore, i f such R deduction is made, it will be impossible t o start t h e radiobiology building at Brgonne. recent actions o f the Division pert,aining t o Civil Defense; i,e., a letter to the National Security Resourcos Board with offer of facilities of A3C that are available, and of tho Weapons T ff ect Handbook that will give factual information relating to the atomic bomb explosion. The Director told the Committee o f the The Committee vas concerned AS t o the responsibility which the Commission considers desira3le for them t o assume and they reiterated their request that they would appreciate definitive clarification on this problem. ?he Committee w s of t h e opinion thkt the Director of the Division should discuss the problem with t h e General 14anager with a viev t o bringing this problem toa focue at an early date.

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I t was noved by Dr. ’.?earn, eboonded by Dr. Stman and unaninouslg qq roved that this recormendation ’be forwarded presented a summary of the meeting held on June 7, 8, and 9, 1949 o f the Ad Zo;j.’.Co .it tee for planning future biological tests. This Committee consisted of the following projects were considered ,md twenty-one of the proposals program as follows: These were arranged 5nto a ten-point test 1. him1 breeding colony t o provide enough aninals o f three "calibrated" species for testing. 2. StutLy o f acute radiztion injury to fill in the gaps of pathologic studies in Japan and Bikini, with ance during the first week. 3. Study of thernal injury t o supplenent earlier studies and t o provide Fibasis for treatment of a.thermal

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4. Stud:? o f blast injury t o keep resolve discrepancies previously noted between AB blast effect and HE blast effect. 5. Studs o f henatology t o extend previous studies and t o provide a basis for rational therapy o f acute radiation Stud.. of p,:>lticUlate FP t o evaluate hazards t o aviators, rescue workers, etc. 8. Stuitv of genetic,al effects using a few well-studied species of nicroorganisns a d plzmts. 9. Observations on local indigenous fauna and flora, 10. Dosimetw with mineral substances t o evaluate certain materi'da for porsonnel nonitoring. A tentative plan for the construction ofa sultable laboratory to conduct the test prog rn was submitted tothe ad hoc connittee and they strongly recommended that the animal colony and the 1Piboratory be adjacent t o one another on the Chicago Toxicity Lzboratory. menorandm from Dr, Franklin ;:&em, Director o f the Chicago Toxicity Laboratory, i n which he suggested thtlt the contract betwcea the University o f Chicago and the Chemical Corps be cancelled for F is ml Year 1950 and a direct contract be entered into by the Atomic %era Cormission with the The Director proscnted a

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University of Cl;icago f o r zdministering the Chic,wo The Committee unanimously affirmed the Director's rccommendation that in order t o have the full Cooperation of the Chemical C o < ~ ~ r m ~ mint a in in gclose liaison with tho Armed Services, that the present contract should be renewed between t h e University o f - Chic?.@ and the atomic enzrgy unit t o study the military implicztions of the biological and nedic,d rspects of 3 1 i n the Chemic22 The Comittee endorsed 3r. ffarren' s recormendation that it would not be feasible t o take the initiative i n SubCommittec on Human Allocation. Dr. Warren advised t h e Allocation California at the instance of Dr. Joseph Milton has Committee that Dr. Harold C o ~ po f the Unlversitg of been asked t o serve as a nenber of the Subcornittee for I&?rnbershiD o f Advisory Committee for Bio lom and Medicine. Dr. Hastings proposed that tho membership of the & visoq Corm it tee for Biology and Medicine should be R rotating

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one, ikmy suggestions were offered as t o rotating the nzzbcrship over a period of years and i t was decided t o discuss the matter and form a policy at the meeting t o be held in September. The next rneet'i&,o,f the Advisory Cornnittee f o r , --Biology and Medicine till be held i n f?ashington Septenber