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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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OFFICE OF OAK RIDGE DIRECTED OPERATIONS ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION INFOPXATION FOB TXE PRESS For Release i n Nmspapers of Thursday Morning, March 4, 1948 For Release a t 6 P.M. (EST) Wednesday, March 3,.1948 HAn GONE TO ZIGHT FOPSIGN COUNTRIES OAR RIDGZ, Tenn., March 3 -- Forty - fie shipments of radio act tv e isvtopes have been sent abroad to individuals and research groups in eight countries since the start of foreign dist rib pti on of radioisotopes,the United States Atomic Energy Conmission announced today. I The foreign distribution program of radioisotopes was announced on September 3, 1947, by President Trman ina message tothe Fourth International Cancer Research Congress i n St. Louis. 16oo un tries have completed the necessary arrangements for receiving the Sinoe that time , radio is ctopes ,especially valuable in ned ical and bio logi o al rose arch. Countries which have sofar made arrangements to obtain the radioisotopes from the uranium chain - reacting rile at Oak Ridge, Tonnossee, are Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy,New Zoaland, Argentina, The Nc th orl mds, Donmark, Peru, Cuba, Francc, Bolgium, Union of Soukh Africa, Swedon, Ireland, and Switzorland. Australia, Argentina, Unitad Kingdom, Dcnmark, Peru, Canada, Italy and Of these, shipments have beon made t o
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The break dm on shipmonts follows: NUXBER OF UNITS 1Ir rid fated Unit 1Ir rid i a ted Unit 1Ir rid i a ted Unit Inthe six-months period i n whioh 4 shipments have gone abroad, approximately 1,000 shipments of radioactive isotopes have been mado t o in vos ti gators within the United States.Shoo August 2 , 1946, when the domestic distribution program was announoed, approximately 2200 shipments hnvo gone to reso arch groups within the Unitod States. by foreign so i cnt is ts will supplcmant those of investigators in the United The results obtained The availability of tho substancos for use abroad marks astop toward the rosumption of tho scientific interchange of mato rials and knowledge on an into r national scale. Radiophosphorus has been axportod more than any o thor isotope ;
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it is used mainly i n modical therapy for treatment of sc riou s blood disc as cs, polycythemia vora and chronic lcukcmia are employing this isotopo i n fundamental studies of plant growth, phosphorus motabolism inthe body and use and do position of phosphorus i n bones and tooth. Radioactive iodino has boon shipped t o several count rios for modioal troatmont of thyroid disorders and for studies of tho function of tho thyroid gland. stable iodino, is pro for on ti ally picked up by tho thyroid and thus servos as a n invcluablci moans of studying this gland and for treating thyroid This radioactive oloment, intho case of ordinary, Isotopes of carbon, sulfur,zinc,iron and cobalt have been sent to for o ign research groups for work i n chemistry, physics, biochcmistry, physiology and botany. Other count rios, not nc tu ally receiving radioisotopes as yet, are making arrangomonts for shipments. in arranging for shipment of isotopes by aik to points out sido the continental United Stat cs. radio iso to pos within.tho Unitod Stat cs, provided tho Shipping container Somo arc encountering difficult ios Tho majority of domestic oirllsos will carry moets established safety st zn dz rds. Ovorsoas airlines have i n somo cxies Sinco some of tho available rn dio iso to pcs los o half of thc ir - activity in arol rki vc ly short time, prompt handling and air shipment nre tivos of th of oro ign count ric s are coopomti-ng to solve these probloms. Tho Isotopes Division a t Chk Ridge, and the official rcpresentn-
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Ally country desiring rc dio isotopes first submit to the State Dcpartmont tho ncmo of its ro pro sent at ivo in the United States, who will maintain liaison with the United States Atomic Enorgy C.ommission. applicant country agroes t o forward tothe Commission, a t six-months into r vals,progress roport s on the results of investigations carried ' on with iso to pos, and agroes that tho mhterial. will not be used far purposes o thor than tho so shown in thor c quo st.Qu ali fia d scientists,irrespective of nationality,aro nllowod to visit the laboratories where tho isotopo in vo stig at ions are being carri od out and to obtain info m.tion freely concorning this work. Sinco foreign invest ig ctor s havo not been conducting thoir res on r ch fora full six-months poriod, no roport s of results of their work with radioisotopes h moy at boon receivod for submission tothe Atomio Enorgy