Memo to Commissioners and Division Heads, Subject: Meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine

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BoxFolderdr- ITO : Commissioners and Division Heads SUBJECT: Meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and ricdicine The ninth meeting ofthe Advisory Committee for Biology cnd Medicine will be held ky 8, 1948 atthe Atomic Energy Commission Building, Invitation is cordially extended t o c.ttend this meeting. 1. Consideration o f Minutes of the meeting at the University of California in Berkeley, California,April 23-24, 1948. 2. Introduction of Dr. James €I. Jensen, Chief, Biology Branch End of Executive Session about $2,800,000 for 1948-49, and about the same mount in . - ' 1. t* F.Y. 1950. k budget of $1,850,000 has been s e t up f o r them ?' /&*& by the Division of Biology and Medicine for 1948-49, and $1,800,000 tentatively set up for 1950. Drs. Owen and Figodsky will present the Atonic Casualty Commission program I

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coa ple ted npp li cnt i Postdoctoral in biological and agricultural Postdoctoral in medical sciences Pre doctor nl in physics rad chemistry Post doctor zl in physics 2nd chemistry Attention is direct od to the accompmying fell on ship announce-- - ment by the Oak Ridge Institute. Suggestions are askcd as t o the best way of preventing confusion with the Atonic Energy Commission fellovmhip program. General description and scope of rcsoarch. Ha ford Program General scope cnd direction of Human Expe r imcnt:I ti on Further consideration of use of radioactive isotopes and other sources of ra diz tion in cases where therapy is not clo a rly End. of Executive Session 10. Fish 2nd bio loa pro grma t the University of K xj h ing ty /

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11. Cancer Unit a t Oak Ridge The Committee of the Oak Ridge Institute hrs discussed with the Division tho functions and pro'blems of organization ofthe proposed Cancer Unit. The principles of organ iF ation are being discussed and tentative plans fora 30-bed wit with labor c tory facilities hzve been developed, Australia has sent in a report on the 1st six months o f Let tar from Dr.Stuart Xudd of tho University .of Pennsylv?.nia. 14. June meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Nedicine,

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Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine The ninth meeting ofthe Advisory Committee for ~ Biology and Medicine of t h e Atomic Energy Commission was convened by the Chairman, Dr. Alan Gregg a t 9:30 a.m. at the office of the Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, Present at the meeting were the following members: Thrren, D irc ctor of the Division o f Biology and Medicine. k t 1O:OO a.m. Mr. David Lilienthal, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and D r . Robert F. Bacher, Commissioner, met with the Committee. Member of the Tigodksy of Atomic Cnsualty Comit t ce, Minutes of Thc first order of business presented to the Rpril.23 - 24, Cornlittee by the Chairman was the discussion of the minutss of the meting of April 23-24 at Berkeley, California. It w':'2s noted that on page 13R sixth line

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the word " together " should have been omitted, Kith this ds let iona notion was made by Dr. Bronk t o adopt t h e minutes as corrected. The motion was seconded by D r , Oiearn and unanimously approved. member ofthe staff of Division of Biology and Medicine, specifically as head o f the Biology Branch of the Division. University of Tennessee - Cattle Program:, - Upon communication received from Dr. Hobbs, Head of dnimal Husbandry of University of Tennessee and endorsed by rcquested an immediate allocation of funds amounting * from $140,000 t o $250,000 for the purchase and transfer of cattle from Los klamos, New Zexico to the University of Tennessee, and npproximately $30,000 for their yearly mciintsnance and study. These cattle were irradiated at the time of the er rly explosion at Alamqordo, and it i s propossd t o conduct br ceding studies md other biological studies both on bulls and cows. The problem was dis - cussed and its urgcncy stressed as the animals would only be available for a short period, genetics and organic pathology and the University of Tcnncssce .crith clo so proximity tc! Oak Ridgc is well ?he study covcrs both

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Committee that it v ns his belief th z t much could be gained by the study of the animals; furthermore he hzd mzde inquiries of the Secretary of the Atomic Casualty Committee, and he stated that it was not proposed t o make such a study on Japanese animals as none were available.Dr.Hastings moved that the cc tion by the Biologic Branch. Dr. ??earn seconded and it v a s unanimously approvsd. Fo 1lowship Fellowship Program: Dr. Varren stzted that up to the present time tho National Research council had Pre doctoral in biological scion ccs Postdoctoral in bio logic cl md agricultural .Postdoctoral in medical sciences app li cz t ions had boen approved: Prc doctoral in biological sciences Postdoctoral in mcdical sciences Post doctor nl in biology and agriculture witha number held open for further consideration.Dr. Gregg commented that it Y;LS discouraging that there wore s o few post doctor zl and pre doctoral s in the biological and agricultural sciencas. should bo cc tu al advertising of the s vail ability of Dr. Bronk stated that there

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pre doctor zl fellowships in the biological sciences t o men in their medical careers at the end o f the sccond yaar of study. proposed that Dr.Far ren should furnish the National Research Council with a letter setting forth plans to get the information bofore the deans of medic21 schools in order th nt they may impart same to their students, After full discussion it w.s Dr. Xarren stated that fellows would not require sccurity clearance except when working in class if icd areas o r with classified data. Summer Courscs: Dr. Varron raised the question of the confusion that might exist if the Oak Ridge tr cine es were t o be c nl led fellows.Dr. Bowers told of his recent discussion with Dr.Pollard rogarding the stipend now being offered Oak Ridge fellows, and therefore he advised Dr.Pollard that $3600 per year for a bachelor was above the usual level paid fellows. usually re ce ivo a stipend of $1500 t o $2000, cnd it would Pre doctor z tc fellows be advisable to adjust the sti ponds paid Oak Ridge trainees x cord ingly.Dr. Grcgg suzgcsted that in view of the ncny rz mi fi cations th2.t prevailed it would be we11 t o have astn ff papar prepared on the prohlem and presonted tothe Committee for study. Dr. Hastings should bc ask9d t o address Dr.Pollard and i n response t o

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his letter to Dr.hrren datsd April 16, 1948 point outto him thk confusion that now exists regarding the tr zi ning program. The ).tonic Enorgy Commission fellows as administered by t h e National Research Council should be permitted to obtain training at Oak Ridge o r any other Atomic Energy Commission install nt ions as well as at the selected universities. entered the meeting. The Chairman introduced Genoral James UcCornnck who outlined the activities of tho recently formed panel consisting of : Drs, E, 0. Lawrence, Gcndral idcCormack left the Dr,Tar ren presented to the Committee the problem of particle contain & ion from the stacks at Hanford and of the excellent work of Dr. H. M, Pnrker and his group in health instruments tion are doing toward previsit to Hanford and the survey he made of the cont mina - tion problem. Dr. 'hrren stated that Dr, Parker will be assist odin this work this s mer by Dr. L. I lar in olli of Memorial Hospital 2nd Dr, Philip Drinker, as consultants on the problem. Dr.Fc ill zi szl so assisting in this

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Atomic Atomic Casuzity Connittee : Drs. Philip bren a d . Hermm S. Tigodslxy of t h c IJztional Rescarch Council staff presented in detail the proposcd progrcm o f the jitomic Casualty Committee and discussed t h e problems that are pre s dn ting themsGlves. Dr. Ovren, in the light of his recent trip to Japan, had a very clear picture of these problems and the opportunities that exist. The Committee cad Mr, Lilienthal e ntz rs d into the d is - cus sion,ad it vas finally concluded th z t while the question rb lc,the demand by the pb li c for information wcs so grc at titzt it would be impossible to fail to support the study without rn:.king %he Atonic Enerm. Commission seem derelict in its responsibilities. It tude and that thc ? s tailed prog rm would hare t o be weighed very carefully in relation to th? broad z ct iv i - ties of tho Co mission in the field of biology and medicine. Tho grcat cxpcnsc ent ci lad by the artificial t-aluation of t h e yen by SC-5.P a t 5Cl:l was discussed, and it was felt that ovcry effort should be made to obtain a morc favor nbl c exchmge bcsis. Mo final action wzs Canccr Unit ztOak Ridgc: Dr. Bowers reported on--C w cer Unit

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nrs being established at Oak Ridge, and of a meating held recently in Eashington with the Mediccll Board of Consultants of Osk Ridge Institute in rogcrd tothe problems and program to bs established.A full time clinical director is to be appointed with a sufficient staff to care for a 30-bed ho spit clun it.Dr. Bowers stated that free distribution of isotopes had been made by Dr, Paul C. Aeborsold t o 80 institutions for cancer D. letter from N. A. Vfhiffen, Officer in Charge, Scientific Dr. Bowers further reported on the receipt of Research Liaison Office,Xu str cli an Embassy regarding the use of radioactive phosphorus znd radioactive iodine in The question of the &e of radios ct ive iso to pos and othor sources of rcd i ation in human exp crime ntz tion was discuss od and it vms the sense of the Committee that Dr. Varren should explicitly express their view toDr. Stone to thc effect that th sym ul d look with disfavor on such oxpcrimantation. 5nd of Executive Session. Other Businoss: Thc next meoting of tho Advisory Coinmittce forE io lo grand Xedicine wc5 set for Friday nnd Scturday, June 11 and 12, 1948, atthe iirgonnc Nat iom l Laboratory i n Chicago, Illinois.