Minutes of Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine September 9 and 10, 1955

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ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE The fifty-second meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine was held at the Atomic Ehergy Commission i n Washington, D. C., Friday and Yaturday, September 9 and 10, 1955, with the following US DOE ARCHIVES D r . Shields Wpren, Vice Chairman f4r. Robert Lo Butenhoff

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The A*sory Comit tee for Biology and Medicine concerned itself on Friday - morning with studying research proposals, reviewing staff papers and material relating to the biological. and medical..program- of the Division of Biology and Medicine. The Chairman convened t h e meeting on Friday afternoon a< l:30 P.M. with Hopkins University who had been asked t o serve as a member of the Committee, t o replace Dr, Curt Stern whose term of office had expired in-June, 1955. Dr. Bugher stated that Dr. Glass is well known to all geneticists throughout the United States and other countries and that the consistent interest and concern shown on the part of the Advisory Committee has:been reflected in the fact that an outstanding geneticist has always been a menher of the Advisory Committee since its inception. Dr. Bugher then intraduced Dr.Sung who had Whed the Division inJay, a s Special Assistant tothe Director. He.noted that Dr. Shilling had years of experience inthe organization of the biomedical activities of the Office of Naval Research and that his association with the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery had given him an extensive background of research and of research fortunate addition to the staff. Dr. Bugher told of the changes that had occurred inthe Hology Branch. The Committee expressed great satisfaction at this Dr. John Wolfe of Ohio S t a t e University who has been teaching courses in plant ecology has joined the Branch t o further the program in ecology.

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Dr.Sterling Emerson from the California Institute of Technology has taken over the genetics program, replacing Dr.Earl Green who has returned t o Ohio State University t o resume his duties in teaching genetics. Genetics Program - Dr. Pearson reviewed the discussions by the Committee atthe meeting held i n Oak Ridge i n May 1955 when they had given conside ration to expanding the genetics program particularly as related Committee be appointed t o study the program and to report tothe Director of the Division as to what phases of the program should be It was suggested a t that tihe that an Ad Hoc Dr, Pearson reported that an outstanding group of geneticists had been appointed t o make this survey and that they will assemble the latter The Committee consists of: Dro Jams Nee1 - University of Michigan It was pointed out that on the initiative of the United Kingdom a genetics conference is t o be held a t Hamell on September 19 and 20, 1955, which will be attended not onlg.by representatives from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, but also from one ortwo other countries, probably Sweden and Norway. One of the objectives of this conference is t o see just what segments of the genetics program may be carried on by the U. K. and other countries, and then what segments might tx carried on i n this country.

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Atomic E?amb Dr. Bugher oriented the Committee on the recent activities Commission of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, He said that the program was receiving more international attention than had been the case Uses of Atomic Energy it was mentioned by various people, particularly i n regard tothe Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission genetics studies. The Chairman inquired, "what has happened tothe plan fora medical reactor program for Japan"? I n Gzneva, at the International Conference on Peacetime Dr. Bugher replied that he had asled the Rockefeller Foundation i n Japan t o make a study of medical education from the standpoint of possibilities of increasing support for the medical school at Hiroshima, support t o medical schools should be i n Tokyo where the two outstanding schools are located, The Foundation came tothe conclusion that the Also9 t h e Japanese Science Council expressed enthusiasm over building up the Hiroshima Medical College--of building a center f o r medical education and research and of amalgamating various facilities of the school with facilities of tne XXC. Dr. Bugher explained further that another factor in this rather complicated picture is the interest by the Episcopal Church in possibly making agift of are actor to Saint Lukes Hospital i n Japan. Dr.Fail la propounded the questions of "How does the medical profession feel about this situation i n Japan? Are they i n favor of having the reactor at Hkoshima o r Tokp?" A report on the subject matter will be made ata later date. Radiological Thesis .= Dr. Hardin Jones, of the Domer Laboratory, University of California presented a thesis on the radiation problem as it may affect populations, He maintains that the aging process i n humans may be accelerated generally in proportion t o the disease incidence experienced

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in early life ; and that if radiation is superimposed on the nomind aging factors,a statistical shortening of life span can be eq ec ted in proportion to the radiation levels to which a population has been ecposed. The thesis is based i n part on a status r sport on the follow-up of the suI'vivors of the A-bomb i n Japan. A copy of Dr, Jones' report may be found i n the files of the Division of Rology and Medicine. Atomic Wastes The Committee discussed briefly the subject of sea disposal of atomic wastes. They cons'idered th question of whether support should be given such s t u d i e s as outlined by Dr. Claus, but hoped that funds advanced for this purpose would not be taken from research. It was brought out dnring the discussion that in view of the vastness and the increasing importance of the probl.int, that it may be desirable for the Commission t o make a study of the problem. Dr.Cant ril inquired whether there could not be some international program of research worked out which would be cooperative and eventually end in some international agreement since the ocean i s an international body of water. It was concluded that a fair - sized program should be initiated in the near future-- i f funds can be made available. necessitated by Operation Wigwam.Dr. Doisy suggested that the complete Dr. Boss reported tothe Committee on the Fish Monitoring Program, report of the activities of the program be placed inthe record. It reads

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Prior to the underwater test detonation (Operation Wigwam) of a small fission weapon i n the eastern Pacific this past spring (May 1955) the Division of Biology and Medicine was directed to establish a fish monitoring system on the west coast. The basic reasons for activating the program were twofold, (a)to establish beyond a doubt that no commerically caught fish in the eastern Pacific, landed at west coast ports, were contaminated by dangerous amounts of radioactive fission products, and (b) t o reassure the public and the twenty-two fish canners inthe event of any adverse, sensational publicity, that the fish were not contaminated. The Federal Food and Drug Administration was requested t o cooperate in establishing the program in view of their mass-testing tuna program following the H-bomb test i n 1954, existing public confidence i n the agency, and their specific responsibility of guaranteeing that all fish and fish products landed a t west coast ports were free of all conThirty-two personnel were assigned tothe operation. (a) Food and Drug assigned the Los Angeles and San Francisco Districts Chiefs and five food inspectors. (b) The Armed Forces Special Weapons Project furnished eighteen The men were sworn i n b y Food and Drug as deputy food inspectors, enlisted men and +to officers from the 1st Radiological Safety Support and worked i n white coveralls. U had appropriate clearances. (c) The UCLA-AEC Project assigned three scientists from their Health Physics Branch and personnel to train the enlisted men, and officers, and five Food and Drug inspectors. (d) The Division of Biology and Medicine assigned one man from t h e Instruments Branch and one from the Biology Branch. Automatic rate meters, Nuclear Instrument 1619, Esterline-Angus recorders, and alarm systems (MR-14) were installed in specially construct ed moisture controlled boxes at the large canneries a t Terminal Island and S& Diego. "he boxes were built and the instruments assembled by and atthe UCLA-AEC Project. ~welveunloading lines were monitored by AEC automatic instruments, and ten l i n e s by instruments owned by the cannery a t seven of the largest canneries. canners i n modernizing and calibrating their instruments. AEC personnel assisted the

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Twenty-nine portable GM meters for hand monztoring atthe smaller canneries rJere borrowed from the California State Civil Defense Organizat i o n by the UCLA-AEC Project. The biophysics branch a t UCWL assumed the responsibility for the operation, maintenance and repair of the hand and The alarms of t h e automatic instruments were set a t 2X background wide fish. The monitoring was started at all plants on May 12, 1955. Hand monitoring by t h e deputy Food and Drug inspectors was discon- ?he automatic counting units have tinued on July 7, 1955, and the AX automatic counting units were removed from large plants on August 3 , 19%. been overhauled and stored a t the UCU-AEC Project for future emergencies on t h e west coast. From Play 12to August 3, 1955, a total of over 49 million pounds of fish and fish products were monitored as shown by the following Total-Variety Island San mego Montereg (All figures are i n pounds) Total Tuna Monitored 47,001,000 Other Fish Monitored 2 ,513,500 Total Fish Monitored 49,514,500 pounds No radioactivity was detected i n fish caught i n the Wigwam area or Three special problems occurred during the monitoring program. (a) On June 13 the South Coast Cannery unloaded a shipment of 377 (12,580 lbs.) frozen yellow f i n tuna imported *om Yokohama, Japan, activity in four fish of - the total shipment. One of the four exhibited readings greater than Oo10 mr/hr at four inches from all body surfaces. Inside the oral cavity readings of 002 t o 0.5 m / h r were recorded. The The automatic counting instruments detected radiowere impounded and the remainder of the shipment was released

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UCLA-AEC Project and t o &e Analytical Branch of the New York Health and Safety Laboratory for radiochemical analysis. A separate report Will be made upon completion of the radiochemical analysis. The 58-lb. fish with the highest reading was sent to the (b) On June 8, the California Department of Fish and Game Research vessel, M. B e Schofield, landed a t San Pedro. mately a ton of fish in the Wigwam test area after the detonation. crew and fishery biologists had eaten some of the fish and were extremely apprehensive they had consumed some radioactive contaminated fish. of Food and Drug inspectors monitored t h e cargo and ship. The ship had caught approxi- (c) During the first week of the operation the alarms on the automatic instruments were tripped a t two plants in San Diego and one a t Terminal Island, The fish unloading lines were shut down until the fish were monitored by hand and ascertained t o be negative. mined thata commercial shipyard repair firm was using a 3000 milli curie source of Cesium t o check the finished welds on vessels. When the source was transferred to smaller pigs and carried from the panel truck to the weld the resulting radioactivity was sufficient to trip the alarms, when the source was 75 yards or closer to the automatic counters. near the truck were 20 mr/hr. Arrangements were made to correlate their operations with the fish unloading activities. No extreme adverse publicity resulted from the monitoring program and i n general. the west coast tuna canners and public accepted the criteria that the .operation wasa routine Food and Drug - AEC activity. this international sampling of the Northern Pacific and that at a later datea full. report on Norpac Will be given to the Cod tte e. A brief ou f line of the activities of Norpac was presented by Dr. Boss. He stated that there are three countries involved i n Redwing Mr. Eisenbud made a f e w remarks concerning Operation Redwing, He spoke of the monitoring program and of the basic differences inthe approach tothe problem from that used inthe Castle series. Adjournment The meeting adjourned a t 5:OO P,M. and the Chairman stated %hat the Conunittee will reconvene on Saturday morning a t 9:OO A.M.

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Civil Effects at Nevada Test Site The Chairman opened t h e second day of t h e meeting by calling on Mr. Corsbie t o review the civil effects participation in the TEAPOT series conducted inthe spring of 19%. the current efforts to keep the Federdl Civil Defense Administration informed on atomic developments pertinent to their responsibilities. He stated that the AEC had invested $660,000 i n the structural program and that the FCDA had invested $8?s,OOO. of the $87S,OOO industry had contributed $3OO,oOO. test in which industry was permitted to furnish funds that could be Mr. Corsbie pointed out that This was the first applied for structures to be erected and tested at the test site. Mr. Corsbie said that a large effort has been made t o expedite the placing of information gleaned from the test series into the hands of FCDA authorities and others who would need it. He mentioned one report This report is not classified, however, the author had listed 37 references t o weapons test reports covering above-ground construction, 3.5 are either classified Confidential o r Secret-Restricted Data; of the 1 4 references t o the below-ground structures, 13 are classified Confident i alor Secret-Restricted Data; and of the earth structures,all5

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", The Committee was informed that there are 48 documents prepared from recent test activities which concern civilian medical and biological subjects 5ut which remain classified ; 7 are from GREENHOUSE; 2 from -?AiJ33R; 6 from BCSTER-JANGLE; 2 from TUMBLER-SNAPPF3; 1 from IVY; 15 from UPSHOP-KNOTHOLE; 3 from CASTLE; 1 from WIGWAM; 9 from TEAPOT A full deliberation was held on the problem and it was suggested t o the Director of the Division of Biology and Medicine that it might be w e l l ' t o formulate some method whereby documents could be made available in unclassified form and that some method be found whereby-important information can be made available to either the FCDA or the public in The Committee i s cognizant of the fact that there is not any particular unit ' i n the Commission that has the continuous responsibility for the review of classified documcnts with a view to initiating de classification. Therefore, in this connection, the Committee …