Minutes Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine Tenth Meeting Held at Argonne National Laboratores Chicago, Illinois, June 11-12, 1948

Page 2

Advisory ConTittee f o r Biology and Medicine The ter.th meeting of the Advisory Cornnittee for Biology and Sedicine of the Atomic Energy Commission was convensd by the Chairman a t 9:00 a.m. atthe Argonne Xztional Laboratories,Chicago, Illinois on June 12, 1948. Present atthe meeting were Dr. Alan Gregg, Chairman, Weam, and Dr.Shields Yarren,Director of the Division of the 4,tonic Energy Co mission staff were also present, tat ives of Representatives of tfie Argonne National Laboratories, Office of Chicago Directed Operations and University National Laboratories, Dr, M. Hilberry, Asst. Director, University of Chicago. May 8, 1908 b y tile Chairman was discussion of the minutes of the The first order of business presented to the Committee meeting held on %lay 8, 1948 atthe Atomic Energy Commission

Page 3

and unanimously apprcved. Appromd Fro jzct s-: The Director reported that the projects listed below hsd beer? npp row d for support 53. the Atomic Energy Co mission for research in the medical . and biological sciences since the lost meeting: (1) Re tte ring Lcboratories - Dr. Robert A. Kehoe (2) North Carolina State College of Agriculture "A Study of the Perm ability of Certain Epidermal Manbranes t o Gaseous Carbon Dioxide" and "Use of Radioactive Isotopes i n Studies on the Metabolism "Study on Effect of Anti-Splenic Tissue Serum on In raforencc t c the first project the Director ra port zd that progress vas being mdcin rescarch i n Health has arranged to tz ke chest films ' of all residents The Ohio Strte Department of ir? the vicinity of the Brush Plant in Lorain. Progress is being mndc also 03 LL three - shift basis with the Clovcland pilot plant, the final pla otto be placed in 0. sparsely settled ami. The Eienlth D2partment o f ' Pennsylvznia i s rrctivnting a program for protection of pcrsons living in closc proximity t o the Beryllium Corporation of Arrcrica.

Page 4

had bcen set up t o study beryllium hazcrds consisting of ISr. Harriet Hardy, ks s a chu sett s Department of h'ealth, Directed Oporntions and Dr.Hxold C. Hodge, Chief Pharmacologist, University of Rochester School o f Medicine. The subjects of the latter two research projects were then discussed by the Committee. They unanimously cndorsed the action of the Director in approving the three research Grants Mndc to Training Centers Dr. IYarron roportod on the progress that vias being made in initiating and activating the training program at training cent crs and stctcd that grants have bcen made toth6 following training conters: Biological Synthesis of the Peptide Bond," and Dr. Techniques in the Field of Cellular 1.letabolism" - ruth or ize dan rzdditior-a1 sum of $15,000 for alt cr a - tions snd purchcses related tothe progrzm and a sum of approximately $1,300 for cx pns es of sending two faculty me mb Gr s to the summer courses, mdcing a total

Page 5

~ lmnin gProgrxq. I t IWS the scnse of the Committae that another letter should 60 forv:ard t o Yr. Hopley, the Director, advisixg him of the inters st of the Committec and thi: rcadinoss of the Division o f Biolo.=). and iiedicine tons s is tin developing thoir plans. It was the Comnittce's opinion thnt tha protection of the civilian population and the protection of industry are joint problem and that a unified plm of dofense i s c-dvisablc. FBl lox ship Program Fcllol:-ship Program and s tnt cd that up t o this time the Mationnl Ressarch Council has awarded 14 fellowships in the postdoctoral ned icd sciences, fxo fBllowships inthe predoctoral biological sciences and one fellowship in the postdoctoral bio logic nl sciences. Dr. Warren told of the helpful ideas that Dr, Jensen i s promulgnting to stimulate the interest of workers i n the agricultural m d bioloGica1 scienccs v;ith a view that more app li cz t ions xi11 bo filed with the Natiooal Research Council for fellowships in these scicccos. Argonnc Research Progrrm - Drs, Austin Brues, Pro g ram Herman Lisco and J. R. Rose Dr. Erucs out l izod the biological program i n

Page 6

ro ln tio ~ts th:: field of r xi in tion nnd discussed the operating th a laboratory cnd stated thzt thsy had a total of 109 cnployces inthe Division o f Biology o f which onc-h.alf h n ~ edegrees; 14 ars individuals with PhDs o r XIS cnd several ot hrs nre working toivnrd re coi ving degreas. Dr. Lisco outlined the medical program and told of his rmd Dr. Brues' desire to integrate the biological and mcd icd progrzms. The program cons ht s of two parts (1) the responsibilities to t!iir ci ploy ces of the Argonne Service (2)the research dzvcloping out of the activities of the labor stor is s, It i s proposed that an infirmary (1) primarily to tp.ke ca-o of people who night be rrccid2ntzlly hurt(2)t of nci li tr.tc the treatment of p nti ents wikh short - livcd isotopes i n con junction with tho planned cancer hospit,?l. This. infirmary will cont c in8or 10 bcds and will be apart of the bioloGy building. Dr. Xosc prosected the health physics prog rm xhich at present is lz rg ely devoted t o sor-zica. Efforts will be made t o expand the prog rm vrhcn the lr b oratories cre morcd tothe new "E" site in the fall.

Page 7

!dor,it,orir,g nir in the lc borat cry will be extensiv ely studied along with the Instrument 3esearch Divisior,. Tkste disposal and metallurgy problems will be taken over for study forDr. T. D. Marine lli xho i s joining this - staff of the Argonfie Nntional Laboratories as an Associate Director. firgonnc krgonrlc Caoccr Research Hospital o f Chicago presented the outline of the proposed cancer research hospital which isto be known ns the Argonne Cancsr %search Bospital. The hos pi kl will contain 40 beds rcnd will be a facility of the Argonne National Laborztorics, horvevcr it isto be placed on a parcel of land belonging t o the University of Chicago. It will be a vai kb leto the staffs of the following par,tic ipa ting institutions under appropriate safeguards: Loyola Uni vcrs it y Northves tern Uni vcrs iw Ohio State University Fa shing t on Univo r sity Uni vcrs it y of Chicago Univzrs it y of C inc ira at i Stp.tc Univcrsitjr of Iowa Unive r s it y of Xic h i gan University of ilinnesota University of Nebraska University of Pittsburgh Western Reszrve University The staffing and housekeeping of the hospitcil will be the direct responsibility of tho Uni vcrs it y of Chicago. The construction of the hospital vi as recommended for approval by the Adviscry Committee for Biology and Lledicine at its meting held on February 14, 1948.

Page 8

Disseminztion Dissc.minrition of Infomation T!:c distribution of the monthly bibliography: resulted in many fa-.-orable ccm ents to the Division as toits usefulness. "he Commithe recommended a s wide a distribution as possible and suggested that all contractors be included on the distribution list. The Comnittee discussed ths value of films to impart ir.formation t o the public regarding Atomic Energy Commission fac iii tics and activities and recommended that more films should be mde and distributed ' t o the interested public. Research Prcgrans under Off i c e of New York Directed Dr. 1%rrcn summarized bri u fly the prog rms that arc Univursity of Rochester - Atomic Energy Project Zed ical and biological reso arch plus services as outlined in thoir prcposals dcted NOV. 1, 1947 and For FY 1948. 1:1,300,000 plus an allovmncc of $400,000- . - t o covor key personnel i n FY 1949 2nd FY 1950. Estirnc.ted actual expenditures i n FY 1948: $1,100,000 Thrcugh Junc 30, 1948 plus key personnel allowance th rc ugh %stern Roservc University - Atomic Encrgy Kcdical 3ed ical 2nd biological rcs s arch on the to xico logical effects of thorium mdthe comparative effects of m riou s types of icti.rnc.lly distributed ionizing particles .For FY 1948, $120,000 plus an allovmnco of $50,000 t o cover key personnsl i n FY 1949 and FY 1950.

Page 9

Through June 30, 1248, F ~ U Skey persollilel allowance Co lunb i a Univc?r s i ty ila dio logical Rosearch Lcborrtory Study and measurement of biological effects of ionizing For FY 1948, $100,000 plus an nllowmce of $50,000 t o cover key perscnnel i n FY 1949 and FY 1950. Through Jme 30, 1948, plus key pcrsonnel all ox m cc Boyce Thompson Imt it ute of Tlant Resenrch, Inc, Investigate effects of uranium 2nd other radioactive substances on peach trees and other plants. Colm bic UnivGrsiQ School of Public Hezlth Furnish research, specialist cmd laboratory services in tho fields of industrial hygime, toxicology, public health c.nd sanitary science. Harvcrd Univorsity Sphool of Public Health Rcsearch in torc spira tory doriccs and local exhaust vent ih tion mt hods with reference t o AEC operatiuns. Rcsoarch into the effects of XC subst m cos on sewers and scwer kr mt ment processes mdthe mechanism o f removal . of radi cmt iv c substcnces from liquid vrastes. Atomic Atcmic Casualty Comminsion Dr.3arron roportod on the nc ti vi ties of the Atomic Cnsualty Comrniskion with special emphasis on its proposed budget. The Coiimittes discussod tho problems in detail

Page 10

cnd e:nJ.orsod tho following rcccmmendation of the. ll irs ctor It was rezormGnde0 that the budget ofthe htcmic FY 1948-1949 and $1,800,000 f o r 1950 and tkt the Armd Forces be requested t o make c vail a blot o the X C such services as they may be able t o provide. Dr.St ahs n seconded the moticn 2nd it was carried unaois tz tod that it was his bc lief that the subject itself should bc dec lcs s if io d. Iiis viow ivzs based on the fact that tlrc subject appcars in marly. .every Sunday supplement in a distorted nanncr, th crc for c if tho broad sub jc ct was dec lz s s if i ed bett.>r work could bo done from the medic21 acd scientific standpoint. Action vms tncn taken on the It vms reccnmndcd that the Advisory. Cc\r;anittoe for 2adioJo;ical Ykrfare be declassified. Dr.Gsc d px ture seconded the motion m d it was approved For the in form tion of the Committee Dr, VJ'arren discussed the fc ll owing pcpcr which he had presented t o

Page 11

several points to be cons2dcred from the biological angle. First : The objective 1. Is it t o ba directed against human beings primarily ? b. Is it desi rad to disable ? If so, how soon and C. Is it desired to so nauseate personnel that the evacuation of ere as will be forced? d. Is it desired to merely make areas untenable 2. Is it t o be directed z gain st personnel secondarily ? By contamination of water supply? By ccntamination of food supply for local By contamination of food supply for general By cpntcmination of basic material for textiles such as cotton and wool? contaminaticn of material to be taken into the body one must calculate the effect not only of tho amount and type of radiation but on the metabolism o f the material particularly in re1:ttion to so lcc ti ve localization in the body rad length of timc thnt it %-:illremain i n the region where local iz c tion has occurred. of materials and amounts a wide range of effects f r o n anemia t o ccncer production may be expcctcd after a lapse of several ybars. By appropriate regulation Second: Tab humn react im I n zn anti-p?rsonnel application of radiologic wnrfnre it i s inprtarit t::: k eq the follcxifig points in mind: 1. The ps-ychciogy of Asiatic and most European populztion, aside fr on Scandanavian, parts of Gemnny, Qis LGWCountries, t h e United Kingdom 2nd pcrhaps two or three large cities of France, i s such that ivzrning t o evacuctc will make no impression at all, Fcr exanplc, i n the Balkrns not only is il liter c cy high but people are not accustomed t o getting informaticn from the printed word and i n all probability vould nc t credit such information.

Page 12

2. Unless the populztion v ~ a sa c tu ally nauseated vith in thc first t xo days the chznces a rath nt no sign if iczn tin press ion vould bc mde upon then in tine t o save their lives. 3. ,Idoso that rvould produce nausaa within the first twc dcys is in all pro5ability a dose that would be lc th alton considerable portion of those poople could receive 200 Ez of total body radiation given over a period of severs1 hours o r longer be for s sxpericncing apprcciable nauser. It may be nausen i n two days would produce death i n c? fcir numbor of persons v;ho had experiencod such exposure for five or six days, Thus it is quite p ossi bl st hz t there will be a factor of safety of only three between t h e dose which nnuseatcs a fairly large portion of the population find the dose which will kill a ost of them. Moreover i f the ir tens it y is relatively lovr, say not over 100 Lp per day, I lethal dose vnuld be obtained a sssuming a material xith 30 days o r more half - lifc it m y be assumed th nt a fair number of ' nuqbar of days before prost rat i cn occurred 4. i: Ctose which Droriucor! no striking symptoms for the first two wseks night well 5e sufficient to pro5. it i s probzblo thr.t at the present day any use of rz dio logic rmrfare vould have far more effect if dir cc ted against our own population than c gain st my for c ign populatior. oussurning that sub-letlial Third: Problem of d is tri but isn Frm tiia stznclpoint of distribution the f'ollovdng bc c xtra ordinarily difficult to obtain and inthe effort tc give most of the pcp ul ct iona nauseating Cose unilou6tecily afair percentage will receive a fat21 dose. If the nate rial is distributed in the for n cf large parti clos (as for exanple coated BB shot)the possibility of clear iq up atleast the greater part with i pQ short period of time is very real, thus rendering tho area safe for occupancy. If the me-tcrial is scattered in aerosol form the chanccs crs very great that in order to achieve a

Page 13

sym9tcn-prcducing level of activity it will heavily contaminate surface dust an6 open spaces. I n the course of tr zve rsi vg the s s th: chnncos of in hnl ing rridioac ti ve pw ti cul atc mstcrials stirred up with Dr. %rrcn brought to the attention …