Minutes of Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine 35TH Meeting Held in Washington, D.C. January 9 and 10 1953

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The thirty fifth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Fiedicine was held at t h e Atomic Energy Commission i n Washington, D. C. on Friday and Saturday, January 9 and 10, 1953. Alan Gregg, Chairman Gioacchino Fail la Karl Pi. Wilbur Fiinutes of Iiieeting held at the The Chairman convened t h e meeting minutes of the thirty - fourth meeting of the Advisory Committee f o r Siology and Kedicine were placed before t h e Committee by t h e Chairman. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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FOR OFFICIAL USE OiGY A motion was made by Dr.Fail la, secondkc! by I)r. Stern, and approved unanimoasly that the pzragrqh on ''Foreign Travel" (page 5) should be corrected t o read as follows: IfDr. Bugher requested the views of the Committee on the amount of support that should be afforded members of the staff of the various laboratories by- the Division of Biology and iiiedicine for foreign travel." I n this connection, Dr. Stern . brought out that in the travel of individuals to foreign countries a distinction - should be macle between an individual desiring to visit laboratories and an individual desiring to attend a congress, especially where the individual is to present a paper. Dr. Gregg commented that if the individual is going to present a paper ata congress, all of his expenses would be net,in most instances, and that if there had t o be a choice between two individuals, he would favor the selection of the younger man. Dr. Fail la stressed the desirability of foreign travel, He suggesteci that when individuals had something t o contritxltc that would enhance the standing of thc Division of Xology and kiiedicine of the Atoinic Energy Commission, that person should be given preference. Dr.Fail la further stated that he thinks it would be preferable not t o pay all the expenses of such atr5p but t o expect the individual contribution of h i s own. Therefore, after afull discussion it was the sense of the Committec that arrangements for foreign travel should bc FOR OFFICIAL USE OILY

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consitiered as rather flexible and not be held rj g idly to a firm rule of one person per jwar per major unit md that the individual selected should be regarded as representing the Atomic E;ntrgy Commission whether o r not all of his expenses a r e t0 be paid by funds f r o m the atomic Znergy Cor;lmission. With the ab ve correction made, the minutes were approved unanimousPj upon a motion by D r . Warren and seconded by Research Projects The discussion on the research The Committee was particular &1 interested in the work now being carri cd on a t the University of Rochester under the supervision of Dr. Louis Hempelmann, Haggerty and covered the following subjects, namelyt ir radi a tod rats; (2) the effect of liver injury on the mortality of irradiated rats; (3)the urinary excretion of dcsoxyribonuclease in irradiated rats; (4) the plasma and urinary amino acids in irradiated dogs; and (5) blood changes i n The report was summarized by Fir. Clinical experiments arein progress (1) urinary corti cords in radiation therapy patients ; (2) eosinophil countson: in radiation therapy patients ; (3) physiological changes in irradiated skin o r lung of therapy patients ; and (4) late follow-up of children whose thymuses were irradiated in infancy. Animal experiments i n progress include: (1)a study of the free glycine pool and the rate at which glycine

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FOR OFFICliiL USE OXLY cnt crs the free glycine pool in irradiated and rorrnal rats ; (2) blood flow in exposed to total and partial body irradiation i ~ t hX-rays; and (4) inhibition of mitotic activity and chromosome fragmentation prodmed by irradiation of mice, It was stated that due toDr. Herrrpchann1s former conncctions with the Atomic Energy Commission programs, the University of Rochester had waived the overhead charge on this projcct; however, the University of Rochester stated that this was not to be considered as a the request of the Divislon by supplying all thc additional information required regarding his current budget. I n connection with the over-all discussion of the projects,Dr, Gregg pointed out that when a staff member of the Division visits a project it i s important that the project be brought tothe attention of an appropriate representative of the University fs administration. It was his view that if this procedure i s followed thme will not be any possibility for the investigator to feel that he has no responsibility to the University nor thky tohim with respect to the pro jc ct, The Committee reiterated their previous viow that the Commission should be advised from time t o time that the resea-ch activities of the Division of 3ology and Piedicinc are now widely FOR OF'FICIXL USE ONLY

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spread throughout the United States 2nd that they are not concentrated inthe eastern part of the United States, and furthermore, that research contracts have been awarded t o colleges and universities in all but four states of the Dr. Bugher led thc discussion on the modes of entry to worthy investigators in small institutions. many small institutions are not aware that support is available for research He stated that purposes, and they usually suffer from a feeling that they would not be able to obtain an audience if they attempted t o make the nec ess a ~ ycontacts. The remarks that followed brought out periodically pointing out that the Atomic Energy Commission (Division of Biology and Ikiedicine) i s desirous of receiving applications for research pro jacts, A short article could be placed i n Science Likewise, such an announcement could be made inthe Journal. --of the imerican Association of University Professors, the imerican Association of---Land Grant Institutions, and similar journals. - I n addition, it was further suggested that an article o f some length be placed i n Science from time t o time summarizing the contracts that have been accepted by the Division of Biology and biedicine and what has been accomplished under the sponsorship o f the Ltomic Energy Commission. klist of the projects approved during t h e month of December, 195'2 is attached a s Appendix I.. Dr. Bugher reported on the status of the analysis of our res em ch program from the standpoint of the utilization of punch cards (1.B.N.) He described t h c equipment and explained the codes FOR OFF ICI ilL USE ONLY

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as the codes for the financial and the functional bd gets. I '1 .A survey of t h e equipment was made by the Committee and a demonstration of its operation was very ably presented by Kiss Rosemary Elmo. I Visit to National L3ureau The Committee visited the National l3reau of Standards on Friday aft w noon to review the work that i s being sponsored by the ..tomic Energy Ltomic and IZadiation Physics Division, have organized t h e work. They eq res sed many favorable commsnts on the manner i n which planned an interesting itinerary, and a summary of each program was presented. The program i s attached as Lppendix B. Reactor Accident - Chalk River The Chairman reconvensd the meeting a t 9200 a.m. Dr. Bugher opened the session by reporting on the reactor accident a t Chalk River. I n connection with this report he stated that a study of the accidcnt i s now being made bj a selected group from Ltomic &orgy Cornmission installations from which will emanate a full re?ort tothe Connnission. It \;as brought out that in all probability the reactor will be shut down for atleast six months o r longer. Waliluke Slope Dr, Bugher advised the Committee that the Comxission has taken action to release a relatively small amount of the FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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Wahlukc Slope area a t Hanford. public by a press rel case from the .ltomic Zmrgy Cornfission, and it 1511 st?te very frankly tht; hazards which exist in the danford area i f farm fanilies do The area t o be cptnLd consists of q pro xi mtc ly He stated further that this izformztion will be given t o the settle on the newly re1t.asi.d lands. Biological Station at T!5zizzT The desirability of establishing a small biological station at Eniwctok for continuing and extending the biological work in.the test area was discussed Dr. Wilbur led the discussion, and he stated that since 1947 the Division of idiology and Piediche has sponsored a marine animals of t h e i3ikini and Eniwetok arcas. biologists from ti?c University of Washington who have mdc several expeditions t o thesc areas for the collection of material for later analysis at Seattle. This has been carried out by continuing the biological studies in the test mea, it would s mm desirable to utilize existing fac ili tics at Eniwetok as a permanent biological station. would permit a closer study of contaminztion of water and lznd areas from test activities and waste disposal and would make possible for the first time fundznental bio logic a studi csr c la tod to tho ocology and food resources of that area of the Pacific. It was pointed out that an existing build iw on Parry Is laid would bc used to proride working space fora few biologists from ,,tomic Energy Commission hb oratories and universities who night FOX OFFICLL VSE OIILY

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wish to carry on stud is s in the area. act iv it ics of the station to inodest proportions with annual operating costs nt alevd not t o exceed $20,000 until tile success of the station has become firmly It i s prqposcd to limit thL in it id a biological station at Eniwetok be further investigated with aview toward its establishment, and tlizt a staff pcper on this sub jc ct be prepared for consideration by the Commission. Status Report of Over-all Dr. Bugher oriented the Cornlittee on the over-all programs and the work of the Division during the past year. programs in I,ic:dicino, Bidogy, Health Physics, C i v i l Dcf ense, Radiation Instruments, and Program haly s is which includcd the budget estimates, and reported on the progress and problms connected therewith. was the report on the survcy that was mzde i o determine the present status of the re lzt iv ely new radiation instruments industry. 75 companies in the field most of them making radiation instruments, (34 replies have been received) it was found that6 companies are grcssing over a million The Branch Chiefs described the individual It was brought out that of the million dollars in 1948 t o an expccted gross to exceed twenty million doll us That sales have increclsed from slightly less than four and a half i n 1952. The em&oymcnt has grown from 130 Emphasis on t h e Various Aspects of the Reswzrch Program ycople i n 1944 t o around 2400 in Dr. Bugher opened t h c discussion, and among the problems thnt he outlined wherein emphasis was being placed was the work on the biological effects o f

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the GilEEdJIOUSE test. ]$any program were summarized. The Committee com.mte,d free bj, and thq made severid suggestions wherein research could bc strengthened. They strongly urged that additional work should bc initiated on the radioactive the question of the protective m?.terial inthe spleen and bone marrow preparations, Civil Effects Test Pr0grP.m and Biomedical Test Program of the Test Organization, with the assistance of Dr. Plough and Dr, Claus summarized the proliminary plans for the Civil Effects Test Program for the stated that a great deal has been accomplished inthe program through thG He s tz tcd that this has bem made possible in part ky thtr & ults of It was also suggested that it would be well to investigate Director of the Civil Effects Group YE, Corsbic explained the programs in detail and he Biomdical Test Plarming and Screening Committee and the Structural Screening and Planning Committee. they !lave passcd on them 3s to their merit and whether o r not the work was n m x x x r y , whether or not it had been done previously, and whether it could bu . . ., The Committees have examinkd all of t h e proposals, and achioved i n somc way short of a field test. The Cod t to i : was greatly impressed - with the proposed plans and expressed th opinion that the staff had been wisely selected for car ying out such avast program. It was cgreed th z t the thir by sixth. meeting of the Committee should be held atthe izgonne National Laboratory on Friday cad Saturday, March 13 and 14, 1953. The meeting adjourned a t 3;SO p.m. FOR OFFICL'LL USE ONLY

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TO : Ccmmissioners and Division ileads FBCI.: : Pi. I*!, Boyer, General Manager The thirty - fifth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine i s t o be held on Friday and jaturday, January 9 and 10, 1953~. a t the AtoInic Rnergy Commission, Washingtcn, D, C., Room a t 1. 9 - 03A.K.Cm sidera tic n of draft minutes of the thirty-fcurth meeting held atthe Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New Ywk on December 5 and 6, 1952. 2. 9:lO A.M, Review of research projects approved, extended, and declined during t h e month of December, 1952. Leave f o r National Bureau of Standards Lunch - Tilden Gardens Visit to National Bureau of Standards - Dr. Lauriston Taylcr Dinner - Kennedy Warren 6. 9:30 a.m. Plans forbid cgi cal laboratory a t Eniwetok - Dr. Wilbur The Division of Bio lea and Medicine has under consideration a laboratory at Eniwetok which would provide minimal k. FOR OFFICIAL U3E ONLY

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facilities flsr bic lpg is ts wishing to carry on studies in the X ars hall Islands reZion, The objectives would be t c fid fill a need for fimdamental bio1lr;gical studies of that arza of the Pacific and to in it k te new lines of approach i n marine studies by utilizing the peculiar advantages offered by the prescrice o f radioactiLity ir, Rniwctzk waters, It is als c anticipated that such studies on the flora and fauna of tlie area would contribute to a fuller understanding of the effects of atomic detonations, The concurrence of the Committee is requested inthe recommiendati~nof the Division to establish a biological laboratory a t Eniwetok. aspLcts of rosearch program i n forthcoming year. 10, 3 : O O P.11, Description of the org miz a tio and content of the Civil Place of next mestiug - March 1 3 and 14, 195.3