increasing since March. Also, for the first time (I think), there is mention of humans
under the heading "tracer studies”: "it now appearsthatit will be feasible to use the
intravenous route for human studies that should be reasonably quantitative from the
interpretive point of view." Projected studies include the following: Dr. Copp and Dr.
Greenberg within the next month will transfer mostof their efforts from the
decontamination studies with the fission products to the experimental program with
plutonium. A large share of their work will, of course, be an attempt to evaluate possible
methods of decontamination of individuals who have become infected with Product.
However, at the same time the character of these studies with plutonium will serve to
amplify the fundamental tracer studies now in progress."
The June special report, under subheading "tracer studies”, includes: "...an attempt will
be made to tie together all of the available information andinterpret it in terms of what
may reasonably be expected to take place in humansfollowing the accidental introduction
of plutonium into the body.” (The June regular report containsthe first mention I have
comeacross in these reports of soil studies, with samples taken of drainage at White Oak
Creek; studies were conducted by Drs. Overstreet and Jacobson,at the request of Dr.
M.D. Whitaker.)
*(In fact, in carton 28, folder 41, there are instructions from Stone to Hamilton on Feb 24,
45, as to the procedure for the monthly reports: Hamilton was to make two reports, one
for regular investigations, one for secret investigations. He was to send the reports to the
Area Engineer, the Chicago Area Engineer, Stone, and his ownfiles.)
1945: In April of 1945: (last page) "Asa result of a misunderstanding, the sample of
Pu238 which was in the possession of Dr. Latimer's group, contained less of this isotope
than we had originally understood it to possess. Dueto this fact, it will not be possible
for us to employthis particular sample for a human metabolic study." Under projected
studies: "For the last two months, radio-autographs, smokes, decontamination, and
human studies will be continued.” This is the first mention, to my knowledge, of human
studies in these reports on plutonium.
(By the way, all reports are signed by Kenneth Priestly, business managerat the RadLab,
and all are routed to Area Engineer M.J. Barnett. In carton 30, folder 16, there is a
proposed standard distribution list for the Manhattan Engineer District reports from 1944
to 1945; under Health and Biology/Fissionable Materials, and also under Health, the
routing would be as follows: 4 copies, | to Hamilton, 1 to Stone, and 2 for thefiles.)
May 10: "Puppies have been injected intramuscularly with plutonium to study
overpayering of the plutonium deposits in an animal which closely resembles man with
respect to bone metabolism.” (p. 4)
1946: October 31: (p. 1) "The successful method of the preparation of solutions that are
essentially carrier-free yttrium and cerium at the pH of blood have been developed.
Metabolism of these radioelements following intravenous administration in the rat is
almost identical with their behavior following intramuscular administration. This opens
the possibility of human experimentation with these radio-elements dueto the fact that
intramuscular studies using human subjects are not feasible as a result of the large
fraction of these radioelements that remain unabsorbed atthesite of injection." On p.5,
he again mentionsthe possibility of experimenting with radio-yttrium and cerium on
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Aschives and Records Office
Human Radiation Experiments Search and Retrieval Project
Anna Berge Research Notes
Electronic DocumentTitle: Bancroft/EOL
April 4, 1994
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