Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
Page 1
Honorable Lewis L. Straws The Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine held its first meeting of t h e fall on Friday and Saturday, September 1 7 and 18, 1954 atthe Atomic Energy Commission in 'Washington, with all Xe concerned ourselves w i t h reviewing research proposals, AEC reports and documents pertaining to biological and medicd problems a s they affect the Division of Biology and Medicine. integrated program has been developed. A general swmry of the activities of the Division was presented examination of t h e exposed population of tihe Marshall Islands. It was gratifying to learn of the recovery of all the exposed resiclassified and that they will soon be made available i n the medical This inclurled a report on the follow up medical ;de are hopeful that the reports on this survey will be deO f utmost importance on the agenda and of principal concern to the committee wasDr. heher's report on Peacetime Applicatjons of Atomic Energy i n the Americas. The committee expressed themselves as being heartily in accord with his specific recommendations and they agreed also that for the most effective development, Canada should be a participant; however, it was stated that up until now Canada has remained a p a r t from Pan American organization because of its affiliation with the United Kingdom. The recommendations a r e as follows: 1. Zstablish two centers of isotope distribution in South America t o be operated, under the advice and assistance of the Isotopes Division of AEC, by the Pan American
Page 2
Sanitary Bureau. sulk isotopes, dollars costs paid, would be delivered t o these centers for distribution. Lima isa logical selection for the Pacific Coast and Rio de Janeiro f o r the Atlantic side. ties for special study and training of Latin American students. Simplify the proc eh res by having the respective sary. By keeping this program away from security areas and making the acceptance of the student dependent on his being granted a visa, apparent U. S. Government inconsistencies on security grounds would be avoided. While the AEC need make no charge for the teaching and use of facilities,the respective countries should provide the travel funds and stipends of their own students as their contribution to this part of the joint program. Initiate a conference t o be held this year i n Washington of representatives of all interested American governments for the purpose o f consulting on the f om and substance of an international cooperative atomic energy program for the area. Encourage an active program in agricultural applications 03 atomic energy through such means as duplicating t h e Brookhaven gamma radiation facility in a midtropical region. should probably be associate with existing Point Four activApproach the problem of reactor technoloQr by developing a simple low cost device which could be useful i n medical and biological applications atthe same time serving as a means of teac\ing the fundanentals of reactor design and operation. Such an arrangement would a l s o make a number of short halflife isotopes available. Consider this program as apart of any other geographical development but capable of running on its own as well. Note that while the development of agreements and policies mus't be through the established diplomatic channels, the cooperation atthe technical level can be quite simple and ne ce ssary .Careful coordination with existing program will be I n connection with this general discussion, the com-nittee unanimously recommended that anything that will facilitate the distribution of
Page 3
isotopes throughout South America should be encouraged; that rest ric - tions imposed by law o r regulation should be kept toa minimum and that redistribution Tron distribution centers should be the responsibil it y of the appropriate agency ofthe foreign government concerned. Then, too, appropriate efforts should be made t o create sound public relations and, very inportantly, t o make available training facilities inthe U. S. on a wider and better established basis for those qualified inciividuals desiring to participate from foreign countries. - -witn regarci t o plans for the International Scientific Conference, it vas recomnended that it might be wiser t o work through scientific agencies rather than through government channels. the problem of having the conference inthe U. S. should be carefully reviewed by the Stats Department so that an undesirable result is not permitted t o obtain simply because of a restrictive interpretation of In this connection, - -Be shall forward a report on our visit tothe University of California i n Los Angeles where our l a s t meeting was held on December 3 and 4. It was most interesting as tre had a n opportunity of studying the atonic energ program which i s being so ably guided by Dr. Stafford Acting Chairman, Advisory Committee