Minutes Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine Sixteenth Meeting Held at Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C., June 11, 1949

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Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine The sixteenth meeting of the Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine ofthe Qomic Energy Commission was held at the Dr, Alan Gregg, Chairman Division of Bio loa Minutes o f Meeting of April 8 and 9, 1949. t h e last meeting (April 8-9, 1949) were approved unanimously Capt. Harry Haight The minutes of

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Report on Su port of Research Project 6. The following research projects that had been approved by the Division of Biology and Medicine since its last meeting were reviewed with interest and the Committee expressed commendation of the staff f o r their efforts in screening the projects, Paul J. Xramer and Karl 14. t’filbur. be Metabolic Studies with Radioisotopes (Randler) - _ ~ r . Studies of Eloctrolyte and Fluid Balance i n Health -d. Study o f the Absorption o f Phosphorus by Pine Seed3. (1) Shell Formation i n Molluses and Barnacles as Studied by Radioisotopes. (2) !be Isolation and lliembrane Permeability o f the Liver Cell Nucleus (VJilbur) - $10,434 - 7/1/49 t o Distribution and lturnover o f Sodium and Potassium in Hormonal and Pharmacological Actions on the Formation Toxicity of P-32 as Related to the bc t ional Cap city of the Liver - (Drs. Artom, Harrell and Cayer) - Effects on Salamander Larvae“ - $5,547 - 12/12/49 t o To Chicago Office:

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Sterilization of Blood and Plasma with Bitrogen Ih tard sn - tions on the Use of Zirconium as a Radioopaque Media" - of *%dioactivo Indicators i n the Study of t h e Node of relationships with Amino Acids'' - $4,800 - 6/1/49 t o Effects o f Radioactive Substances on Plant Pathogens and Other Ificroorganismsli - $39,900 - 7/1/49 t o 6/W/5O0 Electrostatic Generator for Use on 'i4icrobeam' Effects Study Being Conducted Through O'rJR" - $103,500. To New York Office: on Thermal Effects o f t h e Atomic Bomb" - $87.350 - 1 yr. "ii'urther Studies on the Iletabolism of the Teeth with Special Regard t o &dioisotope Studies on the Enamel" - $12,250 (Trsfd. f m ONR) - 1 yr. duration. "Biological Effects of External Radlation (X-rays and Gamma Rays) - 1 yr. duration, "3fficiency o f Present Water Treatment IIethods i n Removing

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TO Smta Fe Office: la tion ship of Flawmoid Structur,es t o Radiation Acids, Nuclooprotciq %%%Juclcotidcsand Belated Organic Microchemical and Biophysical Stady of Tumors and Effects of Radiation Upon Cellstf - $36,000 - 1 yr. duration. To Hanford Office: b. Proposals extcniied since April 8-9 meeting: Po Oak Xiage Office: -To Smta Fe Office:

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red Absorption Spectra of Nucleic Acids, hino kids To Hanford Office: of Radioactive Isotopes i n Germ Cells and- Reproductive Tissues during adiescence and Activationn - (Trsfd, from "3ostdoctoral Training i n Basic Sciences; Application of Radioactive Tracer Technique i n the Field of Cellular Pro7>osnls declined since April 8-9 meeting: Trace Elements in the Stu Q of IEetaboiism o f $1. Tuber- "Study of the Long Term €b-diation Effects of Internally of Ecm5n and Other Hetalloporphyrins i n Normal and Neotion Work on the Parasitic ITasp, FI.brobrnconn. "Monitoring -3adlation with Living Plants Etnd Microorganisms Nutrit-ion of Unicelluler Orgmlsrns and t h e Bequirement of

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Studies in3i.oI og yn. Study o f the Mode o f Action of AntibActerial Agentsti. and Antiobiotic Betatron o f Compounds Forming Complexes with Metals and Xffcct of Trace Elements on Bacterial Wet abo li sm! Natural iicmbrnne t o Gases and Ions". t ional Edema and Anemia as Influenced by Choline". Support o f Basic Research. ate scientific fields.in which tkie Atomic Energy Commission The broad rmbject of the apprdprishould supTort research projects in biology, medicine and biophysics was thoroughly discussed. Dr. Warren reviewed the program as tothe scope o f research that kzd been initiated, wherein attention had been prim,zrily focused on pro2ects declling with the effects of ionizing radiation on prosoplasm inits various manifestations, contamination and dccontmLnntio3 problems and selected application of radioactive isotopes. Dr, Bowers outlined %hepresent procedures i n screening projects and means by which lnformatioa i s placed before * .- . interested persons t o fcmilinrize them with the research fields of interest.

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Dr. waryen stated that armouncernent o f the research progrm had been made periodically i n the Journal of the American lied icd Association and i n Science. It was his his belief also that the wi&e Clistribution of the special edition of &clear Science Abstracts, which contains material from the projects thah the Division i s primarily interested inis the best source of'disseminating information on the The Committee recornmended that a summary o f all research projects that have been approved by the Division be prepred, including a statement cs t o the duration of each contract for consideration at their next meeting. This summary will enable them t o evaluate the progran RS t o the fields of resc,arch that should be considered i n the future, The Committee further recommended that each investigator should be advised at the tine 02 the inception of his contract that if the work progresses satis fac lori ly ani! worthwhile results are paramount that he may rsasonable expect a renewal of the contract. This statement would enable exh Investigator t o plan fon mr d financing of his program. Foreign Distribution of F;t&oactive Isotopes. reviewed the foreign distribution of radioactive isotope program pla sing the following statistics in the record concerning the international distribution of radioactive Isotopes.

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* Total shipments of all isotopes for which no figures are given i s 15, representlng 85-3 millicuries. (First 20 Months, September 3, 1947 t o April 30, 1949) Union o f South Africa British vest Africa After a full discussion, the Comnittee uaninously recomended that the following endorsenent of t h e Foreign Distribution of iiadioactive Isotopes progran should be f o r - warded tothe Chairman for information. 'The Advisory Comnittee for3i ology and Medicine has reviewed from the standpoint of biology and medicine t h e Uhited States progran for the foreign distribution of radioisotopos. It i s OUT understanding that more than 90% o f tho shipments thus far sent abroad have been for uses i n medical therapy and i n scientific research in biology and medicine.

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We have also considered the suggestions which have been advance& that the uses t o which these ra5ioisotopes night be put Could possibly be disadvantageous tothe security of The Aikisory Committee f o r Biology and Lledicine believe tb-t the foreign radioactive distribution program for diagnosis, therapy and research i n biology a - d nedicine i s .?dr,antageous tothe United States and helps i n assuring the broad scientific progress which*xs s o important t o our national The Advisor$'l& .it tee for Biology and Medicine strongly endorses conti nmt i o% of the fore is distribution Los Alanos. The Deputy Director reported on his recent studies of the existing and proposed biological, medical and biophysical programs at Los Almos. He stated that a closer connection between the Health Division inthe laboratory and the staff of the hospital is needed. However, itis not deened advisable to at t qt to place the hospital under the are c tion of tho University of C < di for nia but rather to at tet to develop the hospital as a cornunity enterprise with a Board of Governors front he citiz.ens of Los Alamos. It was the opinion of t h e Comittec that It would be advantageous t o secure a highly qualified physician as Chief of Professional Serri ces as well as a hospital superintendent trained in ho qi tal administration. It was recommended that these appointments be held i n aleyance until Dr, Rufus Rorem has completed his study, so no the in July, ofthe medical. care program at Los Alarms.

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the industrial aspects o f the ur anim program i n the United States including the mining and processing activities in the The 3eputy 3i rector further reported on The Committee ??cognized” .?s the need f o r the Commission t o consider the extent of j th pons ill il it yin these activities as it i s apparent that inmy of them there are levels of injurious agents which exceed those considered t o be safe from the health standpoint. Sixth Semiannual Report. t h e Si-xth Semiannual Report t o the Congress which is focused Dr. Warren reviewed the status of primarily on biology and medicine. Eealth Eazards i n Certain A3C Areas. Consultant t o the Division o f 3iology and Nedicine and Chief of Industrial lfcdlcinc at the Eastman Kodak Company, gave an oral report on his survey of the health hazards in certain A3Care as and in facilities producing and processing uranium. Dr. Sterner will consult with members of the s t a f f of the Mvision fro3 time t o time on health problems at the install a - ground on t h e fellowship progrm, including a summary of the hearings before the Joint Congressional Committee on

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Forei,q Scientists at Train ii x Courses at O& Ridge. Dr. lfarrcn spoke of the interest displhyed by foreign scientists in their attending the Institute of Nuclear Physics at Oak Ridge for training in techniques for Senate Appromiatio;%EIearing. The M rector reported on t h e hearings before the Senate Appropriation Committee. stated that it i s proposed that the funds ,allocated tothe A3C will be reduced by 15$ and furthermore, if s u c h ' a deduction i s made, it will be impossible t o stmt the radiobiology building at Argonne. recent actions of the Division per tal ning to Civil Defense; i.e., a letter to the National Security Resources Board with offer of frrciltties ofAX that are available, and of the Weapons 3ffect Handbook that will give factual information The Director told the Committee ofthe relating to the atomic bomb explosion. The Committee vas concerned as to the responsibility which the Commission considers desirable for them t o assume and they reiterated their request that they would appreciate definitive clarification on this problem. ?he Committee was of the opinion t&t the Director of the Division should discuss the problem with the General Manager with a view t o bringing this problem toa focus at an early date.

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unaniri~ousl:,. approved that this recormendation be forwarded presented a summary o f the meeting held on June 7 , 8, and 9 , 1949 o f the Ad HO;jhCo .it tee for planning future bioThis Committee consisted ofthe following Dr. LeRoy stated that forty proposals for test projects were considered irnd twenty-one of the proposals program as follows: These were arranged intoa ten-point test 1. him1 breedinc colony t o provide enough aninals of three Ifcalibrated" species for testing. 2. Study o f acute radiation injury to fill in the gaps o f pathologic studies i n Japan and Bikini, with ance during the first week. 3. Study of them nl in july to supplement earlier studies and t o provide abasis f o r treatment of AB thermal

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4. Study of blast ' injury to keep resolve discrepancies previously noted between AB blast effect and HE blast effect. 5. StueT o f henatolom t o extend previous studies and t o provide a basis for rational therapy o f acute radiation Stud.. of i & icu late E'p t o evaluate hazards t o aviators, rescue workers, etc. 8. Study of penetic,Q effects using a few well-studied species of nicroorganisns and plmts. 9. Observations on local indigenous fauna and flora, 10. Dosimetry with mineral substances t o evaluate A tentative plan for the construction of a suitable laboratory to conduct the test prognm was submitted tothe ad hoc committee and they strongly recommended that the animal colony and the lciboratory be adjacent t o one another on the Chicazo Toxicity Lzboratory. nemorandum from Dr. Pr m klin ;:cLean, Director ofthe Chicago Toxicity Laboratory, i n which he suggested th nt the contract between the University o f Chicago and the Chemical Corps be cancelled for Fiscnl Year 1950 and a direct contract be entered into by the Atomic Znergy Cormission with the The Director prosented a

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University o f Cl;icngo for administering the Chic,?F;o Toxicity Lzborat o ry. The Committee unanimously affirmed the Director' s recommendation that i n order t o have the full cooperation of the Chemic<d close liaison with the Armed Servtrces, that the present contract should be renewed between the University of Chic~goand the Dr. I4cLean further suggested the estallishment of an atomic enargy unit to study the military implications of the biological and nedic,al rspects of Iilf i n the Chenicd The Comit tee endorsed Dr. 1Jarren's reconuenhtion that it would not be feasible to take the initiative in SubConmittec on Human Allocation. Dr. Warren advised the Committee that Dr. Harold C o ~ pof the University ofSubconnit t e e Allocation California at t h e instance o f Dr. Joseph Hanilton has been asked t o serve asa nenber o f the Subcommittee for MernbcrshiD o f Advisory Committee for Bio lom and Nedicine. Dr. Hastings proposed that tho membership o f the Mv isO q Cornittee for Biology and Medicine should be F. rotating

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oneo I'hny suggestions were offered as t o rotating the nzribership over a period o f years and i t vas decided to discuss the matter and for na Folic y at the meeting t o be held i n September, The next meet'i&,.o,f the Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine till be held i n Washington Septenbor