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By Authority of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT REPORT TO THE +c JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY
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BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE The primary goals of the Biology-Uedicine program were presented i n the last quarterly report. - The work i n biology and medicine i s concerned Kith such problems as the health of the workers i n Commission projects, t h e recognition and evaluztion of environmental problems relating t o operation of Commission facilities, understiinding the effects of radiation on plants, animals, and human beings, t h e development of in stm ents 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 the Division of Biology and kiedicine. 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 embodying the mechanics of this arrangement was instituted on January 27th. Under this plan the Division of Biology and Medicine, iVasNngton, 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 centrslized responsibility Atthe same the,the negotiation and administration of the business aspects of the contracts i s 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 Managers of Operations are responsible for assuring that the terns of the contracts are consistent with t h e research program mproved 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 t h e scientific progress of research contracts administered through The Advisory Committee for Biology and Eedicine at its
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fourteenth meeting on February 12, 1949, discussed t h e Ofkice of Civil Defense Planning report, " Civil Defense for National Security," and recommended 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 i n relation t o agencies concerned with defense of the civilian population and the training of appropriate personnel t o handle disasters due t o atomic warfare. " ties f o r civil defense planning are being studied and will be coordinated with those of. the National Security Resources Board. Radiation injuries. A t Los Alamos the treatrcent and study of four cases of radiation burns incurred at Mwe tok during Operation SANDSTON% has been 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 overexposure Progress of t h e treatment Skin grafting has been indicated The problem o f radiation-induced cataracts is being studied i n several Commission laboratories. instances i n which personnel of Commission projects have developed radiation cataracts, the Canmission has a strong interest in this t o fast neutrons, develo$.ng the detection and measurement of unchargzd particles i s 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 overaxposure The Cammission has furnished Atomic Casualty Commission. Temporary laboratories have been completed a t Hiroshima and Kure and permission has been obtained from the Supreme Command, Allied Powers to build apep manent laboratory and acquire land on a lease basis from the Japanese. A t present there are approldmately fifty American persons, fifteen of whom are classified as professional, employed by t h e Atomic Casualty Canmission. been made with Japanese scientists for the continuance of the ComIt is felt that this work i s progressing ina highly satisso-called "delayed11 effects of an atomic wcplosion, including cancer, abnormal offsprine, cataract o r other diseases. passage of time, the disfigurement caused by many of t h e burn scars Thus far, there has been no evidence of t h e Three teams of scientists are t o Pisit Japan i n the 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 explosions at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. mitted by t h e Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at N e w Haven, Connecticut, was approved during the quarter, and a direct research contract w i t h the Station is currently being negotiated by t h e Office of New Yoric Operations. This project conteinplates 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 w i l l explore the possibility of curing plant diseases by (1) using radioactive substances as a source of radiation and (2) by using radioisotopes inthe study of the distrlbution of chemicals applied f o r therapeutic purposes. Biological effects of radiation. The Commission issup porting a large program of research into t h e biological effects med laboratories and in fifty or more universities and private This research is being conducted in Cds sion - The basic problem of how radiant energy affects the living organism, hman, animal. or 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 hm that exposure t o radiation even i n rather large amounts does not necessarily mean a lingering and untimely death of former sufferers from cancer who are alive and well after 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 importance from a long range point of view are t h e many investigations being carried out with Commission support i n an effort t o determine just how radiation acts upon the cells which combine t o make up t h e individual and upon the large molecules and enzyme systems which go t o make up the cell. Health Physics Fellowships. Arrangements are under nay t o continue the Technical. Health Physics Fellowship Program f o r another year at an increased rate. a It is planned t o increase the number of fellowships i n this field from the present 18 t o approximately 40 inthe new course t o start i n September. The National
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Research Council is planning t o appoint a new board t o select health physics fellows for t h e Commission Program. serkatives of the Biology and Ededicine Division met with representatives of the United Kingdom, the New York Medical Director, and D r s , Failla and Quimby of Columbia University. The general topics discussed were mad mum permissible exposure and. waste faced problems similar t o those we have faced at Hanford and Oak Edge, but without having a Columbia or Tennessee River t o assist them. The general discussion of maximum permissible exposure was confined t o work that i s now being done by the National Committee on Radiation Protection. It was pointed out by the UK representatives that we are their source of data on limits of exposure as a result of our animal studies and certain accide9ts t h a t have given some human data, They are almost wholly dependent upon data from American reports and from calculations i n literature surveys, i n arriving at their maximum permissible levels, Joint Meeting with the British. On February 8th repreIt was pointed out that the British at Harwell have I n the general discussion on waste disp osd the question of maximum Dermissible level of material polluting public streams being explored by the Commission t o see i f they are applicable t o similar conditions in t h e United States. Several plans nou i n use by the United Kingdom are Insurance. Representatives of the Biologv and Medicine Division have been cooperating with tbe Finance Division i n sme of the problems which deal Kith radiation protection. been two meetings w i t h representatives of the 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 maximum permissible levels of insurance companies i n obtaining whatever data were available. The casualty insurance companies are trying t o 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-Froduct 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 i n the formulation of preliminary plans fora cooperative and coordinated program of studies of the Columbia River Basin. These
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are envisaged to embrace hydrologic, physical, chemical, and bio log k characteristics of the river as they may affect t h e uses of these waters. Currently, theb1cNa.q Dzim is being constructed by the Federal Government. doumstream from t h e Hanford ‘Works, ’h’hen it; is completed water ri5l.3. be impounded as far upstrezm as Rickland. This study will permit ai appraisal to be made of m y ra3iologica’l health hazards which may be involved after completion of the darno
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and Subprograms for t h e Period July 1, 1948 Source and Fissionable Materials Research and Development Plant and Equipment Research and Development Plant and Equipment Research and Development Plant and Equipment Research and Development Plant and Equipnent Biology and Medicine Research and Development Plant and Equipment Plant and Equipent Operations and Maintenance Plant and Equipment Advances to Contractors Total All Programs