BANCROFTIMISC. COLLECTIONS
Date: Feb. 28-March3, 1994
Robert S. Stone
Letters written to Stone A-K: A report, dated Dec. 7, 54, concerns themeeting ofthe
AEC Subcommittee on Human Use of Radioisotopes. On Dec. 3, Low-Beer had
expressed concern that there was no uniformity in the licensure for human use of
radioisotopes. The committee recommended coursesto train people in the use of
radioisotopes.
Stone received a letter dated Oct. 20, 48, from Alan Gregg, a member of the Advisory
committee on Medicine and Biology in the AEC. Gregg believed that X-ray treatment
for arthritic patients was unjustified; he suggested that the committee did not wantto
collaborate in clinical investigations with physicians in whose judgementthey did not
have confidence. Somefairly sharp communications followed. (in folder "Letters
written by Stone 1948-1954): July 26, 48, Stone wrote Shields Warren in response to
concerns about the treatmentof arthritic patients. He claimed that the selection of
patients, the choice of therapy, etc. had nothing to do with AEC;also, the radiation was
given to patients with a reasonable expectation that it was therapeutic. Healso sent a
response (Nov.4, 48) to Alan Gregg,slightly more scathing.
In response to a request by Shields Warren aboutpatients’ various reactionsto radiation,
Stone sent tables with information on people with hyperthyroidism who had been treated
with radioiodine. Thetables include patient names,total y131 dose, dates offirst and last
Rx, dates women becamepregnant, etc. (May 26, 1950)
.
Shields Warren sent a note to Stone, from which the following is quoted: "I have delayed
for some time answering your letter of May 27 because ofthe difficulty of clarifying in
my own mindthe problem of human experimentation. I am taking an increasingly dim
view ofit. I have talked with some of the people who wereinvolved in the Illinois
experiments and have learned something of the aftermath of one at the Massachussetts
Prison Colony. ..... The more I consider this problem, the more reluctant I am to go
along with experiments of this type...... record meas voting against human
experimentation.” (July 11, 1949)
Shields Warren (Oct 7, 49) suggested that the long-term/delayed effects of radiation on
the human bodyofpatients receiving radioiodine in therapeutic procedures could give a
good opportunity to determine someeffects of internally administered whole bodv
radiation. He asked ifStone had noticed effects on 1) hematological picture, 2) t.:tility-menstruation or spermatogenesis, 3) electrolyte balance, 4) plasma proteins, 5) radiation
sickness, 6) other abnormal responses.
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Archives and Records Office
Human Radiation Experiments Search and Retrieval Project
Anna Berge Research Notes
Electronic Document Title: Bancroft/muisc
April 1, 1994
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