DocJax

Declassified record · U.S. Department of Energy

Letter to S L Warren, Subject: Continuance of Biological Research Program

Dated
Jan 19, 1946
Document type
Correspondence
Length
2 pages
Open the original scanArchive record OSTI ID 16294353 · public domain

Document text

Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.

Page 1

Col. Stafford L. Warren, Re: Continuance of Biological few days I expect t o leave the Metallurgical Project and my connection with it from then on will be a s a consultant t o t h e Metallurgical Laboratory, University of Chicago. Before severing my official connections, I want t o make clear to you and t o the District Engineer and the Laboratory Directors thatI recommend strongly t h e continuance of some portions, if not all, of t h e Biological Research work which has been carried on i n the Metallurgical Laboratory, the Clinton Laboratories and t h e associa ted projects while they were a part of the Metallurgical Project. Last Spring an agreement was reached between Dr. Compton, yourself and myself to the effect that the Health Service work would be carried on atthe level necessary t o service the various laboratories that had been associated i n the kietallurgical Project but that the biological research and medical research associated therewith would be tapered from one-hundred percent atthe beginning of the year t o less than fifty percent by the end of the year and that as of June 30, 1946, all of t h e work would be stopped. Since the war has terminated, and since the Metallurgical Project has dissolved, and since new budgetary arrangements have been entered into with the various Laboratories, I am not attempting now to hold those laboratories Over whom I had advisory capacity tothe agreements which were reached a t that time. I am assuming that the District Engineer will make such arrangements as he wishes with each Laboratory and that my obligationa-r&o hold down the over - all picture of the former Metallurgical Project!are4 *. no longer existent. May I state here thatI think it is in the interests of the countrg as a whole and the Nucleonics Program in part icd ar for biological research work t o be continued a t Clinton Laboratories, a t the University of Chicago Idetellurgical Laboratory, atthe University of Cali for rie both inthe Radiation Laboratory and the much smaller project at the University of California Hospital, and atthe National Cancer Institute. The work which Dr. Tanenbeurn has been doing, I

Page 2

think could well be extended also if and when it can be arranged for on a lo- term basis. While it is no direct concern of mine, might Ialso state thatI believe the work which has been ping on under the direction of Dr. Dowdy should be continued, so t h a t the chronic experiments can be carried out t o the longest possible time limit, and the other studies brought toas successful conclusions as seems possible. The specific program of each particular laboratory should now be a matter for the best judgment for those i n charge a t each laboratory. Hence I am making no reconwendations as t o program, except that in all progrms financed under t h e broad subject of Nucleonics, the main object should be t o work with those materials and those problems which are likely to i n some way reflect upon the health and welfare of the other workers i n the field of Nucleonics. If I can be of any service t o you or the District Engineer, please let which you and your office have rendered t o us, May I express t o you my appreciation for the help and cooperation letter, it i s intended t o cover all of the research down i n the Health Division, i n contrast t o the service work done i n