Minutes Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine Eighth Meeting Held at University of California, Berkeley, California, April 23-24, 1948

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Advisory Coimittee f o r Biology and Nedicine The eighth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine of t h e Atomic Energy Conmission was convened by the Chairman, Dr. Alan Gregg a t 9:30 a.m. at the University of California, Berkeley, California. Present at the meeting were the following members: Detlev V. Bronk being absent ; also attending were Dr. Shields Warren, Director of the Division of Biology Representatives of the University of California Minutes of The first order of business presented to the March 13, Committee by the Chairman was a discussion of the minutes of the meeting of March 13, 1948. Dr. Hastings made a motion t o adopt the minutes, motion was seoonded by D r , Wearn and unanimously approved, Fellowship Report on Progress of t h e Fellowship Program: Dr. Yarren outlined the membership of the various National Research Council Committeeswho are to select

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the fellows for the training program and they are as Eomer IF:. Smith, Chairman ,Professor of Ph y sio lom Director of Physiological Laboratories, &!ex York University College of Xedicine, New York, ITa Y. Austin "7. Brues, Associate Professor o f Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Sam L. Clark, Professor of Anatomy, Vanderbilt Hymer Louis Friedel l,Professor of Radiology, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Joseph G. Hamilton, Assistant Professor of IEedicine and Radiology, University of California, Berkeley, Roy R. Kracke, Dean, School of Idedicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama. Pre doctor el Fellowships i n Biology---. -_.-- Douglas '%hitaker, Chairman; Professor of Biology, Stanford University, and Dean of School of Biological Sciences,Stanford University, California. Eric G. Ball, Professor of Biochemistry, Harvard Xedical School, Boston, Massachusetts. J. 9. Bodine, Professor of Zoology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Howard B. Lewis, Professor of Biological Chemistry, and Director of School o f Pharmacy, University of. Xichigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. biology and Biophysics, university of Chicago,

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Post doctor zl Fellowships in Biological and kn ri cultural Sciences University of Xcbrnska, Lincoln, Nebraska. Re search Foundation , Un ivers it yof F'enr? sy l vania , G. Zvelyn Hutchinson, Professor of Zoology, Yale Univt!r s ity, New Havcn, Connecticut. Ym. J. Robbins, Professor of Botany, Columbia University, and Director of New Ywk Botanical of Mi s s our i, C o lumb ia, Mis sour i . A general discussion followed on the program as t o the number of men available at the various levels, and the urgency of getting the namcs of the fellows before the committees for selection in time t o mzet the entrance dates into the colleges and institutions, Grants ;lade to Training Ccnters The Committee cndorsod the action of the Division of Eiology and Ik dic in epr ovid in s support t o the fol - loving training cent ars : Borman Gray School o f Medicine, Wake Forest Pharmacological Actions on t h e Formation of Tissue Phospholipidss " for one year beginning

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and Turnover of Sodium and Potassium i n Acute Infections " for one y2ar beginning July 1, ilcasurcment of Volume o f Flow of Eload inthe Kidney and Level of an Unanesthetized Ynn by mcans of Rzdioisotopic Procedure - $5,000. of Tapeworms" and "The Effect of Relax in Extract of Corpora Luhea on Blood and Sxtra - Cellular Summer CoursGs for Instructors A summer course hss been arrcnged i n two schedules, one a t Brookhaven i n July, and one a t Oak Ridge i n August. The course a t Oak Ridge will be an intan sive laboratory for nia is now working with Dr. Joseph Hamilton i n charge of instruments tion at Oak IZidge. Tho Brookhzven course will be largo ly didactic and theoretical, Two men from each of the Participating universities or schools have been assigned from the faculty member group to attend mcking a total of 28 men lincd up for the courses. The schools participating are the University of Oregon, Oregon State College, University of Oregon X ed ical School, Reed College, Duke University,University of . North Carolina, North Carolina State Collage of

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to establish a nuclcus of interest in other places. Carolina, '?<&e Forest College, Ea yl or University, Colorcdo z t Dsnver,and University of Colorado n t Training at Columbia -.- University in Biophysics--- arrcngements rct Woods Hole for the summer fellowships. The problem of obtaining space for the training of health physicists at Columbia was discussed. Dr. Hastings suggestvod that it might be feasible to develop spncc facilities at Brookhaven for such training rather than increasing buildings at Columbia University. I t W ~ Srccommcnded by the Committee that Dr.Fail la mnke a study of the problem including the availability of space a t Columbia, and report his findings to the Committee. u led to be giv cn at iioods Hole znd cxplcined that the studies would be for young pzopli. that have worked previously with rr dio active materials and vho choose t o study problems in rn dio biology nnd biology with the use of radioisotopes, This study should enable the students In fur th cr connection with the trn in ing progrcm Dr. Wcrren reported that it had been necessary to

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Rochzsttcr fron $615,000 t o $1,091,000 to build tho building th3tisto be used for the train i pg program. Such increase of cost Ti z s caused by the previous esti - mate being two y cars old, increase in the size of the building and general inc rez se of cost of labor znd LIr. John Derry explained tothe Committee rbout his recent western trip. At cl even a.m. the Committeo zdjourncd foran in sp oct ion of the 184" Cyclotron. Dr.Ernest Lawrence conductcd the tour for the Committee. Presentation of Progrzm Outline= by Dr. John Dr. Lawrence outlined briefly the work now being carried on inthe Donner and Crocker Laboratories. The program ofthe Donner Laboratory consists of eight items: 1. Biological Effects of Nuclear Fission in Vivo. 2. Biological Effects of High Energy Particles from 3. Studies on the Nechanism of Radiation. Damage t o Tissue and Possible Prophylactic or Therapeutic Management of Radiation I n jury. 4. General Studies of the Biological Effects of

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6. Trace Element Analysis in Sio logical Tissues by Induced Ea dio act i at it j. 7. Training of Personnel in the Biological and Medical Applications of Xuclear Physics and Chemistry and in the Field of the Biological Effects of Irradiation. 8. Study of t h e Biology of Carcinogens. Dr. Hamilton outlined very briefly the work he i s now undertaking and brought to the attention of the Committee the following statement which was included in the report of his activities : "The major portion of the program, which has averaged about 70% of the to trl effort, has S sen directed to the metabolic studies. to exploring inconsiderable detail the possible mechanisms rasp on sib le for the rather unique and dangerous predilection of plutonium and a number of the fission products for deposition and prolonged retention in the skeleton, together with th a development of possible methods for the detection and trcat - ment of radioactive poisoning by these agents. remaining S$ of the total endeavor was devoted tothe plant and soil studies." Roughly 25% has been allocated Dr. Stone presented the need for radiation facilities and animal quarters.After discussion, it was felt th::t the work a t San Francisco wns a useful adjunct to th t,tat Berkeley, and that as far as po-ssible the San Francisco facilities be made available to the Stanford Medical Faculty. After furt hz r discussion, ' i t seemed thata small both tron would probably be the most serviceable radiation source

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t o be est:.blished. The question of2 $150,000 for F.Y. 1950 m d with further allocation of funds t o be m6ae upori recommendation ofthe Committee. Moved by Dr. Besdle, seconded by Dr. Goodpasture and unanimously approvcd that Dr. 1Varren's recommendation be Report on Support of Research Projects The Committee endorsed the action of the Division of Biology and Medicine i n approving the following projects : the Individual Cells i n Available Body Secretions, i.a. Orzl and Vcginnl, of Animzls Subjected to Deep ical Effects of Rc diz tion from Excessive Amount o f 1-131 inthe Organism, and Various Physiological Phenomena and bents Studied with 1-131 as a Tracer" - The Committee endorsed the action of the Division of Eiology and Nedicine in declining the following project : of Dyspnec. and D is z bil it yin ' Patients xi th Chronic Research Research Projects for Committee Considerntion Committee Zdassachusotts Institute of Tcchnology - Dr, Robley Consideration Evzns - Radiomcdicino Research The Office of Naval Research presented to tho

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Division of Biology a.cd Tledicine a second proposzl received from Dr. Evzns in several parts. ThG lirst incsmuch as the Committee vns of the viow that this part of the prcposr,l might over l cp with the previous proposal approvod by the Committee r.t its mecting held on Februnry treatment by means o f super voltage rz di ation.kftor very thorough discussion, it YES fal tt hz t it vas not des irn ble to tr cz t patients xi th high voltage radi ? & tio ni n an insti - tut ion not equLppcd v ; it h hospital facilities. this 3r. Trump's re qu cst for support of a contract was In light of $15,000 be allocated to Dr. Evans for Part I11 of the and vi ric i dal cgent ray. Dr.Ik stings moved th2tthc recommendation be app ove d.Dr. Stakmm seconded the motion and it w-.s Pcr t IV of the propos-.l was concerned with ccthoderay induced chcmical and physical rc actions. It VJES felt that this VI ~ S not within the province

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mental and Clinical Investig-.tion upon Various Aspects o f Chronic Pulmonary Disease ; : mi feste d by Persons Associated with the Indus tri zl Production and useof Dr. Yarren discussed indef z il the b cry l los is problem i n connocticn with the prGps2.l submitted by Dr. qorwald for the Trudeau Foundrtion at Saran x Lake, k w York. The Comqittce agreed as a whole that the Foundstion wqs a good plnce for experimental work. Dr. Warren stated that the State Health Commissioner of Pennsylvania had stated in writing that there were no hazards involved i n beryllium. The Beryllium Corporation of Americcl has widely exploited this statement. After discussion of various nspects o f the problem, it was the opinion of the Committee that beryl los is is a very r e a l hazard and one which thc: Commission should make every effort to control. Further, that it was II proper responsibility of the Commission to publicize the danger of beryl los is,both acute and chronic, including the fact that hazGrds exist even t o persons not employed in the plants utilizing beryllium but adj z cent to them. project be opproved in principle subject to final cla2if i cation by the Division cf Biology and Medicine

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motion t o approve the recommendatisn, and motion IVCS seccndcd by D r . Goodpzsture and cpprovsd unanimously Dr. Xarren reported on the free distribution of isotopes as being carried on by Dr. Prul C. Aebersold ztthe Oak Ridge Laboratory successfully. discussion wzs made on the use of radioactive cobalt as a replacement for radium o r radon in the t rect ment of m de in the possibility of isotope farming. Dr.Thr rens tz tud that good headway was being B scientific exhibit for the American Medical kssociation meeting 2nd for tho Ccntenzry meeting of the iimorican Association for t1i3 Advancement o f Science is be liev zd an excellent educational opportunity fc r the Atomic Energy Commission to call attention of the medical profession and othcr tecichers of science to its interests and responsibilities. The Public In f ormation Section of the Atomic Energy Commission, The lirgonne National Laboratory, The Oak Ridge Nz t ional Laboratory, the Research Division qnd the Di-cision of Bic.logy a d Medicine are cooperating inthe development of such an exhibit. Dr, Hastings suggested that the Universi Q of California be in vit zd to

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made on the Trogrzm i n Jnpcn. A full discuss i cn folloIri3d. k budget of $1,850,000 has been apprc?ved by t h e Atonic Energy Commission f3r the fiscal year 1948, 1949, and $1,800,000 for the fiscal year 1950 f sr the cx r ying out of the work as Gutlined by the ktcmic C csu al ty Com.r;lssic?n. Criticism was mcde on thc? lwk of co operatic n by the Army especially in the exchange of dollars for yen, discuss the exchange of f'unds and report their findings tothe Committee. It was further reconmendzd that Dr. Philip Owen be asked t o present afull budget just if ' i cnt ion at the next meeting. Radiation Report tothe Chairman, !.kdical Sciences, Naticnrsl of the mseting held January 22, 1948 and analyzed each item. This rc port vms presented primarily for information. In a discussion sf the reconmndctions, the following comments were made: First,that the report was not primarily dealing with psychological n sped tsG fra dint ion but rather with the psychological aspects of any major 1. PreparatiGn cf alist of places and individuals throughout the country whence information may be may be evnlucted.

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Tho first Pecnmmcndation was th cta list cf plnces evcluntcd, I t -x,s felt that this night be avery c!ang;i:rcus no z c tion shculd be taken IGcking t3tho implementztion 2. Prep or a tic n of a series of booklets or ct her en the c bj act iv s s and activities of the Atomic Energy Commission. This series s hm ldin clu dc a descriptive list cf Atomic Energy Com.ission can tractors and their There was general approval o f +his recomnlendction pr mid ed due care vns taken in the preps rst inn of the 3. Prepcr?.tion sf one cr more b s s i c prirncrs on atcmic energy for use by journ c lists, ra?,isbrpcdcasters, librarians, That was unanirniua cpproval of this rmommendatlon. 4. Convening of ccnfcrsnces similar to tho pre smt province of this Cormittee. 5, Provision of a de qu st ely infsrmed speckers ft.r all conf e ren ccs cr conventions involving educators journalists broadcasters etc. This cbviously would invnlve the z ct ive ccoperr.tion of state and pri r zte universities ond the various I t was felt that recopaendction 5 IKLS nut nf the province of this Committee.