Human radiation studies: Remembering the early years: Oral history of medical physicist Katherine L. Lathrop and physician Paul V. Harper, conducted January 26, 1995

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Interview with Katherine L. Lathrop and Paul V. Harper, M.D. Setting: January 2 6 ,1995; Chicago, Illinois Interviewers: DarreH Fisher and Michael Yuffee (DOE Office of Human Radiation Experiments) ORAL HISTORY OF MEDICAL PHYSICIST KATHERINE L. LATHROP PHYSICIAN PAUL V. HARPER Conducted January 26, 1995, in Chicago, Illinois, by Dr. Darrell Fisher from Pacific Northwest Laboratory and Michael Ytcffeefrom the Department o f Energy’s Office o f Human Radiation Experiments. Katherine L. Lathrop was selected for the Oral History Project because o f her research during the Manhattan Project, her work at Argorme National Laboratory, and her investigation o f radionuclides at the Argonne Cancer Research Hospital and the University o f Chicago. The oral history covers Ms. Lathrop’s research into the biological effects o f radiation, her radionuclide and radiopharmaceutical research, and her collaboration with Dr. Paid Harper. Paul V. Harper was selectedfor the Oral History Project because o f his medical research and collaboration with Katherine Lathrop at the Argonne Cancer Re search Hospital and the University o f Chicago. Thisjoint oral history examines his research into intraoperative radioisotope therapy, radiopharmaceutical develop ment, and nuclear medicine instrumentation, and his collaboration with Ms. Lathrop. Dr. Harper and Ms. Lathrop have made significant contributions to the development and testing o f new radiopharmaceuticalsfor applications in nuclear medicine. Many o f their studies involved human subjects. is widowed and has five children. Ms. Lathrop began her career as a research assistant at the University of Wyoming (1942-44). Ms. Lathrop joined the Manhattan Project as a jimior chemist at the Metallurgical Laboratory, where she worked from 1945 to 1946. Frrnn 1947 to 1954, Ms. Lathrop was an associate biochemist at Argorme National Laboratory (ANL), and a chemist at the University of Chicago. In 1954, Ms. Lathrop joined the staff at tiie Argonne Cancer Research Hospital, first as a research associate, and ultimately as a Professor. Although she has held emeritus status since 1985, she still is active in research today. While serving in her career positions, Ms. Lathrop has had the following assignments: • 1966 to present—^member. Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) Committee of the Society of Nuclear Medicine • 1977 to 1984— chair. Medical Internal Radiation Dose Committee • 1968 to 1984— member, American National Standards Institute Committee N44.3 on • 1970 to 1975—member, Advisory Panel on Radioactive Pharmaceuticals, The United

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Interview with Katherine L. Lathrop and Paul V. Harper, M.D. Setting; Jan u ary 2 6 ,1 9 9 5 ; Chicago, Illinois Interviewers: Darrell Fisher and Michael Yuffee (DOE Ofhoe of Human Radiation Experiments) Dr, Harper was He received his Ars Baccalaureate (Biology 1939), and M.D. (1941) from Harvard University, He is married and has four chil dren, ]>. Harper began his career as a Research Assistant in the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago (1942, and 1945-46). From 1946 to 1951, he was a resident, and even tually Chief Resident, in the Department of Surgeiy. In 1949, Dr. Harper began his teaching career at the Department of Surgery, beginning as an instructor and eventually becoming a Professor in 1960. Dr. Harper attained emeritus status in 1986, but is still active in research today. Concurrently with his formal duties. Dr. Harper also has had the following positions: • 1954 to present—^member, American College of Surgeons • founding and life member, American Board o f Nuclear Medicine • 1967 to 1969—president. Central Chapter, Society of Nuclear Medicine Kettering Single Instrument Grant • 1975 to present—member, International Commission on Radiation Units and Measure Ms. Lathrop and Dr. Harper have published many times, jointly and separately, on the development of radiopharmaceuticals, surgical radioisotope therapies, and nuclear medicine instrumentation. Additionally, they have researched and published on the biological effects Lathrop’s Education and Early Career (Manhattan Project, 1945-46) FISHER: This is an interview with Dr. Paul V. Harper and Mrs. Katherine Lathrop of the University of Chicago, taking place at the University of Chicago Hospital. My name is Dr. Darrell Fisher; I’m here with Mr. Michael Yuffee to conduct this interview. Katherine, maybe we could start with you and ask you to tell us, in as much detail as you would like, how you became interested in the field of nuclear medicine,’ how you became affiliated with the University of Chicago, a little about your education, and your professional career. LATHROP: There was [no field of Nuclear Medicine in which to become interested]. I was there when it started. There was a Society of Nuclear Medicine that had been formed. [Around 1954 to ’55, small groups of interested people began meeting in Chicago and on the West Coast.] I960 the Society of Nuclear Medicine and the Journal o f Nuclear Medi diagnostic and therapeutic medical techniques using radionuclides Radioiodine is widely used to diagnose thyroid function and also is a highly effective therapy for hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, and thyroid cancer. an endocrine gland located at the base of the neck and secreting two hormones that regulate the rates of metabolism, growth, and development

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Interview with Katherine L. Lathrop and Paul V. Harper, M.D. Setting: January 2 6 , 1995; Chicago, Illinois Interviewers: Darrell Fisher and Michael Yuffee (DOE Office of Human Radiation Experiments) You weren’t a native o f Chicago. You went to school in Oklahoma. Would you tell us a little about this? (material deleted. Mrs. Lathrop inserts the following for clarity and My maternal grandparents moved from Iowa to Indian Territory in 1902, when my mother w as about ten years old.] My father’s family [moved from Texas to Oklahoma Territory a few years earlier. The two territories were combined into the state of Oklahoma in 1907. At one time the two families lived within a few miles, although in separate territories. My par ents w ere married in Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1 9 1 2 .1w as there first child. I w as married in Lawton in 1938, while a graduate student at Oklahoma State University. My husband was from New Mexico, where we lived from 1939 until early 1942, when we moved to Laramie, V\fyoming. I worked in the poisonous plant laboratory at the University of \Afyoming, replacing personnel drafted for military service. My husband taught Chemistry to students enlisted in the military service. Similar programs were available in medical schools leading to an M.D. degree. My husband applied and was admitted a s a student at Northwestem University [in Evanston, a northern suburb of Chicago]. We moved to Chicago in 1944. W e thought that we had enough money from the sale of our house and savings. However, living in Chicago cost much more than living in One o f my husband’s friends told us about [a very secret project, where he had worked before entering medical school, that had jobs for people trained in scientific fields. I applied by mail. A short time later I was asked to appear for a personal interview and was hired the same day.] The person who [interviewed] me thought I would fit in well within the chemistry or the biology sections o f the [Manhattan] Project.'* He tried calling someone in [the] Chemistry [Division, who was not there. He for an interview. As I look back [to that day, I feel it was decisive for my subsequent career. Only because o f a turn o f fate,] I could have gone on in[to] straight chem istry, but [my eiqierience in determining the quantitative localization and biologic effects o f fission was valuable preparation for some o f the contri butions I was able to make to the development o f Nuclear Medicine.] The U.S. Government’s secret project, launched December 28,1942, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Manhattan Engineer District, to develop the atomic bomb. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Manhat tan Project was die Office o f Scientific Research and Ctevelopment Section on Uranium and was codenamed S-1 (Section One of the Office of Scientific Research and Development).