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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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mitted t o Congress reflecting the Bureau of the Budget's reductions, reported i n November. The Cormnissionts budget estimates have been subSteps hzve been initiated to bring about afresh tions. Iiather thm follow the tr zd it ional Government procedure of pre-auditing every individual trensaction prior t o reimSurscncnt, the objcctive i s to concentrate, as do public accountults, on conformance t o sound princi plc sad methods, thus reducing the extcnsivc duplication of effort in zuditinc;L. vouchcrs. A generel statement of principles govcrning the provisions of BEC coritrectorst pcnsion and group l i f e insur?.nce plans has been circulated i n second drczft form. Tentative approvsl sicis given t o the p1ar.s submitted by
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The primary goals of t h e Biology-Zedicine program xere presented i n the last quarterly report. The work i n biology and medicine i s concerned with such problems as t h e health of the workers i n Commission projects, the recognition and evaluztion of environmental problems relating t o operation of Cods sion facilities, understmding the effects of radiation on plants, animals, and human beings, t h e development of instruments for- the detection and measurement of radiation, and the application of radioisotopes i n biology, medicine, Research Contract Administration During t h e quarter twenty-six research projects were approved by t h e Division of Biology and Uedicine. administered directly by the Commission through its Operations Offices i n accordance with the arrangement outlined inthe preceding quarterly report. These will be A n interim procedure ernbodybe the mechanics of this arrangement was instituted on January 27th. Under this plan the Division of Biology and Medicine, iVashington, has responsibility for selection of research projects, together with their scientif i c and technical supervision. i s necessary i n order t o maintain a comprehensive and well-inteThis cent rdi zed responsibility Atthe same the,the negotiation and administration of the business aspects of the contracts is handled by the Operations Offices. This enables the Commission t o take advantage of the experience and organization of t h e Operations Offices. The Uanagers of Operations are responsible for assuring that the terms of the contracts are consistent with t h e research program approved by the Division of Biology and Medicine and with sound business The biological and medical representatives on the staffs of the Operations Offices are t o be kept fully informed of the scientific progress of research contracts administered through Civil Defense Planning The Advisory Committee for Biology and Kedicine at its
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fourteenth meeting on February 12, 1949, discussed t h e Ofifice of Civil Defense Planning report, " Civil Defense for National Security," and reconmended that the Commission "select and appoint a staff member t o give his entire attention t o collecting the necessary information and t o studying the relations and activities of the AEC in relation to agencies concerned with defense of the Civilian population and the training of appropriate personnel t o handle disasters due t o atomic warfare." ties for civil defense planning are being studied and will be coordinated with those of, t h e National Security Resources Board. Radiation injuries. A t Los Alamos the treatKent and study . of four cases of radiation burns incurred at EnisVetok during Operation SANDSTON% has bean continued since their occurrence t o ionizing radiation of the beta type. has been generally satisfactory. in three of the cases. These are cases of hand burns caused by overeqosure Progress of t h e treatment Skin grafting has been indicated The problem of radiation-induced cataracts is being studied i n several Cds sion laboratories. instances i-?which personnel of Commission projects have developed radiation cataracts, the Commission has a strong interest in this t o fast neutrons, develophg the detection and measurement of uncharged particles is being emphasized. funds fora careful study of the eleven individuals known t o have developed radiation cataracts. Although there have been no Since the cataracts are apparently due t o overexposure The Cds sion has furnished Atomic Casualty Commission. Temporary laboratories have . been cm let ed at Hiroshima and Kure and permission has been obtained from the Supreme Command, Allied fmers t o build a permanent laboratory and acquire land on a lease basis from t h e Japanese. A t present there are approxhately fifty American persons, fifteen of whom are classified as professional, employed by t h e Atomic Casualty Commission. been made with Japanese scientists for the continuance of the ComIt is felt that this work i s progressing ina highly satisso-called 1~delayed"e ff ect s of an atomic explosion, including cancer, abnormal offspring, cataract o r other diseases.' With the passage of time, the disfigurepent caused by many of t h e burn scars Thus far, there has been no evidence of the Three teams of scientists are t o visit Japan inthe near future for the purpose of making first hand studies of the
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genetics, eye injury, and male sterility phases of the atomic exmitted by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at New Haven, Cpnnecticut, was approved during the quarter, and a direct research contract with the Station i s currently being negotiated by the Office of New York Operations. T h i s project conternplates research on the feasibility of the application of radioactive elements as therapeutic agents i n plant diseases such as Dutch elm disease, and other diseases of perennial plants. This research will explore t h e possibility of curing plant diseases by (1)using radioactive substances as a source of radiation and (2) by using radioisotopes i n the study of the distribution of chemicals applied for therapeutic purposes. Biological effects of radiation. The Comnission i s supporting a large program of research into the biological effects of ra ation. med laboratories and in fifty or more uniJersities and private This research is being conducted in CommissionThe basic problem of how radiant energy affects the living organism, human, animal o r vegetable, i s being attacked from over-all dmage caused by radiation and methods by which it can be overcome by medical, chemical or surgical treatment. already h m that exposure t o radiation even i n rather large amounts does not necessarily mean a lingering and un the ly death of fdrmer sufferers from cancer who are alive and well a f t e r receiving enormous doses of radiant energy. Research groups are investigating t h e I n proof of this fact are the many thousands Of less spectacular interest but perhaps of greater i m - portance from a long range point of view are the many investigations being carried out with Commission support i n an effort t o determine just how radiation acts upon the cells which combine to make up the individual and upon the large molecules and enzyme systems which go t o make up the cell. Health physics Fellowships. Arrangements are under way t o continue the Technical Health Physics Fellomship Program f o r another year at an increased rate. &Iti s planned t o increase the number of fellowships i n this field from the present 18 t o approxlmately 40 inthe new course t o start i n September. The National
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Research Council i s planning t o appoint a new board to select health physics fellows f o r the Commission Program. sentatives of the Biology and Ededicine Division met with representatives of the United Kingdom, t h e New Pork Medical Director, and Drs.Fail la and -by of Columbia University. The general topics discussed were maximum permissible exposure and-waste faced problems similar t o those w e have faced a t Hanford and Oak Ridge, but without having a Columbia or Tennessee River t o assist them. The general discussion of m d m u n permissible exposure was confined t o work that is now, being done by the National Committee on Radiation Protection, It was pointed out by the UK representat ives that we are their source of data on limits of exposure as a result of our animal studies and cert ah accideqts that have given some human data, They are almost wholly dependent upon d a t a from American reports and from calculations in literature surveys, i n arriving at their maximum permissible levels. Joint Meeting with t h e British. On February 8th repreIt was pointed out that the British at Harwell have I n the general discussion on waste disposal the question of maximum permissible l e v e l of material polluting public streams being explored by the Cds sion to see i f they are applicabl2 t o similar conditions i n the United States. Several plans now i n we by the United Kingdom are Insurance. Representatives of the Biology ard Medicine Division have been cooperating with the Finance Division i n same of the problems wM.ch d e a l with radiation protection. been two meetings with representatives of t h e casualty insurance a rating plan for users of radioisotopes, and their technical representatives have asked for data on the hazards involved inthe handling of various isotopes and on mad mum permissible levels of insurance companies i n obtaining whatever data were available. The casualty insurance companies are trying to devise It was agreed that the Commission would assist the Environmental Sanitation Survey of Columbia River. Health officials are becoming increasingly mare of the pubUc health significance of atomic energy developments and are seriously concerned regarding their public health responsibilities, A t present the principal concern i s with the by-product wastes that go beyond industrial boundaries and radioactivity resulting from the use and disposal of radioisotopes. .Several conferences have been held by United States Public Health Service with representatives of the Commission, resulting inthe formulation of preliminary plans fora cooperative and coordinated program of studies of the Columbia River Basin. These
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are envisaged t o enbrace hydrologic, physical, chemical, and biologic characteristics of the river as they rnzy a2fect the uses of these Praters. Currently, tine hicNr ~Dsm is being construct4 by the Fed erd Govement domistream from the iianford Works. ?!hen it is completed water w i l l be impounded as far upstream as PLchlznd. This study will p emit an appraisal t o be made of my rsdiologicsl health hazards which may be involved after coq let ion of the dan-
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Table 2. - Analysis of Expenditbes According t o Propans and Subprograms f o r the Period July 1, 1948 Source and Fissionable Idaterials Research and Development Plant and Equipment Research and Development Plant and Equipment Plant and Equipment Research and Development Plant and Equipent Biology and Medicine Research and Development Plant and Equipment Plant and Equipent 12.2 Operations and Maintenance Plant and Equipment - 19 -1/ Cash disbursements by AEC.