Minutes Meeting of Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine Held at Washington, D. C., June 25 & 26, 1954

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A3iTSOXY COMFIITTEE: FOR BIOLOGY AND NEDICINE The forty - fifth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biolom and Medicine was held a t the Atomic Energy Comdssion i n Washington, D.C. , on Friday and. Saturdsy, June 25 and 26, 1954. Shields Warren -. Vice Chairman Curt Stern (Saturday only) b s . Frances R, Montgomery, Secretary

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The Chairman convened the meeting a t 9:30 with a l l committee members present with the exception of Dr. Stern. He welcomed D r , Hastings and Dr. Wearn and then asked Dr. Bugher t o open the session by current events and activities of the Division, (Dr. Stern meeting on Saturday,) Report on Dr. Bugher said that we are extremely--+-~ ~ ability of Dr. Hastings and Dr. Wearn period of university pressure t o get away from their other responsibilities to join the session. character of the two-day session i s such that we would like to inform the former members of the things that have transpired i n the program i n which they have worked so hard t o develop and also t o discuss generally and obtain guidance on the directions t h a t we should follow in the time ahead. He spoke of the regrets received from D r . Gregg, Dr. Beadle at their being unable t o be present and of their expression of best regards t o the entire group. He pointed out that the Dr. Bugher stated t h a t with Mr. Tammaro serving as Assistant General Manager for Research and Industrial Development that it had immensely increased the Divisionla capabilities. managing the Chicago Operations Office and his broad knowledge of the e n t i r e atomic energy program, both historically and technically, will be of great

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- Continuing t o discuss pertinent matters, Dr, Bugher said t h a t Dr. LeRoy would not be joining the Division as Deputy Director and that the Commission had asked Dr. Dunham t o serve i n t h a t capacity and he has accepted. The Conrmittee both as a group and individually exgressed great satisfaction with this appointment, D r , Bugher introduced Dr. Roy Albert of t h e Health and Safety Division of the New York Operations Office who is joining the Medical Branch, and , by this addition t o the staff it is believed that it will strengthen very substantially the industrial medical program. Off ice Office were reviewed. Dr, gugher said that production The changes i n the matter of the New York Operations activities have been transferred t o Oak Ridge and, i n general, all of the administration of production facilities of the Commission will stern from Oak Ridge. However, there is not t o be a change i n the function of the Operations Office i n New York as far as its responsibi li ties in the area of research and development activities in the Northeastern Area are concerned. Furthermore it does not imply any diminution i n the function of the New York Health and Safety Laboratory under direction of M r , Merrill Eisenbud. The laboratory will be officially under the Division of Biology and Medicine as a working extension of the Division, but an which is available t o the Commission generally. Dr. Bugher explained the work t h a t was involved in the of weapon tests and he said that the series could not have out had it not been f o r the prior experiments a t the Nevada

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very hard work which t h e Division staff mcmbors ham put in, not only i n working a t the site itself, in relation to the program, but i n the area of coordinating all the various public agencies and rasponsibilities i n the field of health and safety, particularly with reference t o fall-out The experiments were made possible i n a large part due t o the Dr, Bugher told of the exposure t o fall-out of certain test personnel and t o the peoples of the atolls of Rmgelap. He referred t o the serious exposures received by the residents of bngelap A t o l l and of tho comparatively small exposure t o the residents of the Uterik Atoll. the persons on Rongelap, Ailinginae, and Uterik were evacuated by the Task Force t o Kwajalein, Dr. Bugher further reviewed the problem of the 23 fishermen who were ina Japanese fishing boat just north of Rongelap about 70 o r 80 miles from the detonation and were exposed t o radioactive fall - out. of the serious illness of the men; however, he was pleased t o report that they are coming along all right and that they will recover. Dr. Bugher reported t o the committee on the contaminated tuna incident and of the concern of the fishing industry, He stated that Mr, Eisenbud had gone t o Tokyo t o assist Dr. Morton of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission with this additional problem, Japan with Dr, Lauren Donaldson t o study various aspects of the problem. He spoke t o o of Dr, Boss being in - Dr. Green gave a very interesting talk on the results of his visit t o the two Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission installations in Japan, Primarily it was t o redew the genetic program and t o obtain background of first-hand

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information that might be useful i n discussing the features o f the genetic program for the next year o r bra. s i s t e d over a period of nearly six years of stu-g five indicators of radiation damage t o the genetics system, i n newborn offspring, the frequency of malformations, frequency of still births,birth weight, and death rate in the first nine months' period, He said that the genetic program conThese indicators were sex ratio Dr. Green spoke of principal problems that concern the staff of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission-what might be done toward orientating the Atomic Boinb Casualty Commission staff members i n the history and present problems of the Japanese-United States relationship, how long the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission may be expected t o continue in Japan and, whenever it is terminated, how t o dispose of the facilities. it is determined t h a t the research should be terminated, the redl question of what t o do with the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission facilities on one hand and the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission scientific data on the other If and when Dr. F a i l l a raised the question of whether the data might be turned over t o the Japanese and would it be wise not to let them have it--if it could be done without antagonizing them. Dr. Bugher stated that we are committed t o leave the basic data i n Japan even though we have duplicate compilations here i n the United States because there i s inherent in this whole problem flmdamentally a cooperative

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went t o the major laboratories i n AEC installations, and $?.million went t o the off-site university institution research conReca it ul ation of current status of Mr. Stanwood summarized the 1954 budget by explaining that the Division had a total of $26 million for the biomedical research program, that $19 million He spoke of the current budget wherein the Division had requested $27.6 million for the fiscal year it was reduced t o $27.1 and, as a result of congressional action, the final figure will be an allocation of .$27 million, and, upon review by tho Commission, I , and ceeds of E io low & Medicine, D r , Bugher opened the general discussion on the trends and needs of programs i n the Division of Biology and Medicine, including the National Laboratories, by stressing the need for scientific manpower trained i n the biological and medical sciences, He brought out that the problems which we would like discussed are in part probloms of emphasis in subject material, what we have done, and where we should go, Dr. Bugher pointed out that another general factor in this whole problem of research concerns the levels a t which research should be supported by the government and the criteria which are soundly t o be employed, He stated further t h a t fundamental research cannot be systematized, centralized, coordinated, and administered. Dr. Doisy asked if any significant progress i s being made toward tho cooperation with other countries of the development of atomic power f o r

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said that the problem i s being explored and that there isto be in the near future an international meeting of scientific people from all over the world t o discuss the peacetime uses of atomic energy, D r . 'Wearn inquired whether any further regress has been made on the exchange of inforration as was saggested a t the Chalk River meeting i n Dr. Bugher was pleased t o reply that Chairman Strauss had arranged f o r a new topic under the Cooperative Program under Area 2, Health and Safety, a new topic which i n essenco reads that the United States, Canada, and Great Britain may exchange information on the effects of atomic explosions on man and his environment. Therefore, in that me a of exchange of information which has much bearing on civil. defense, we have taken enormous steps ahead. Dr. Fail la propounded the question: \ hat is the present purpose of project Gabriel? What i s the objective? A broad discussion ensued. Dr. Bugher remarked that research i s continuing on t h e project, "Gabriel1' is being extended t o include more critical evaluation of the possible hazard from radioisotopes of other chemical elements, particularly ruthenium and iodine. Branch Dr, Dunham reviewed the trends inthe Medical Branch research program and very briefly discussed the new projects t h a t had been approved since the last meeting. Dr. LeFevre spoke on the four projects that had been approved by the

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Research Comittee from the 22 accepted under the Teletherapy Evaluation Board program. Under the Tels'herapy Evaluztion Board plan, the C o d S - sion will contribute the cost o f the source itself and $10,000 annut o the operating expense of each project. The institution will furnish the teletkeraFy u n i t and the remaining operating expense. of the useful time of the machine will go i n t o the AEC research program and the other three-quarters t o the services a t the institution. ' The projects were thoroughly discussed. Dr, C a n t 2 0 inquired over how many years is it thought that this support w i l l be given t o the teletherapy projects by the AEC. years has been suggested. Dr, Fail la stated that this function could bo probably performed better by the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Dunham brought out t h a t it is not the intention of the Division t o support all 22 institutions, therapy Evaluation Board is not considered a very good thing by radiologists. The only requirement for membership t o the Board was the contribution o f $2,500 and those that contributed were not the best institutions Dr, Fail la pointed out that the Telethe field, He remarked SO that on the Toletherapy Evaluation Board there is not a first - class radiologist and yet they like to control the work in t h e whole country. Dr, Warren was of the opinion t h a t inasmuch as the projects are indiddualized and absorbed i n the general program of the Medical Branch, that it is a very wholesome trend. Dr. Cantril agreed with Dr. Fail la and said that he thinks the money spent

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on the projects will not give the return anticipated, Dr,FaiUa followed with the statement that he d i d n t t lik~the way h, Brucer, Chairman of the Teletherapy Evaluation Board, handles the Board, antagonizes alot of well established and influential individudls. He stated further that the Board i s not founded on a goodbasis and it is carried out i n a way t h a t causes mom trouble than it does good, Dr. lfarren asked Dr. Fail la if he had any intrinsic objection t o evdluation under AEC auspices, projects he doubts that aq-thing will come out of them because of the fact that they dontt have enough patients, they dontt have the proper personnel, and it will be a therapy program, Dr. Failla replied: '!Not i f the project is Not i n principle, certainly not." He said that in these four Dr. Stakman asked Dr. Dunham whether the discussion on the tele the raw projects was a sufficient guide as t o the sentiments of the Committee, Dr, Dunham prodded the Cormnittee with an outline of where the emphasis lies in the medical research program and where work is being accelerated and perhaps other work is tapering o f f , Each item in the trend i n the research program was car ~ full yconsidered and studied, Dr, Green had reported previously on the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission program when he discussed his visit t o Japan, Mr, Haggerty joined Dr, Dunham in explaining the sub-items under somatic

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Dr. Hastings remarked that it is not only a very impressive program but it is extremely well organized and easy t o grasp what work is under emphasize work on the t i s s u e electrolytes and the problem of metabolism, He did suggest, however, that it would be wise t o continue t o ' h te mediate metabolism, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Furthermore, Dr. Hastings added that he would not curtail in any way the stua of supportive measures relating to systematic and careful control of fluid, electrolyte, and acid base measures. Dr. Doisy agreed with Dr. Hastings and stated that the sku@ of adaptive enzymes should not be overlooked. Dr. Ejurnett inquired whether there 9 s any way you can stir up some Dr. Dunham replied i n the negative andinterest i n the vascular field," asked Zor the assistance of the Committee i n directing t o the attention of the Division people who had a genuine and contbuing interest in the Committee adjourned for lunch a t 12:50. Dr, Dunham indicated t h a t Dr. Albert would bring the Cormittee up t o date on toxicological problems, Dr, Albert spoke on nonradioactive agents with special emphasis on beryllium encountered i n plant operations, I n connection with the cancer program and discussion thereon, Mr. Haggerty said that new attempts t o attach boron t o organic molecules were being studied. He said that at the University of Illinois boron containing dyes were being injected into

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mice, both normal and neoplastic. Then a tissue slice is …