ENCLOSURE 1 CRITIQUE OF THE REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCTENCES The Biological Effests of Atomic Radiation Based on (1) "A Report to the Public," and (2) "Summary Report." To understand and best evaluate the implications of this report it is important to bear in mind the background of the individual sziantists who made the study and their relation- ship to the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council and to the Government, The NAS-NRC is not a Government organization, True, it was established by President Lincoln in order to have a distinguished bedy cf ssientists with whom the Government could consult at the time of tha Civil War, On the other hand, it is a self- perpetuating bedy of free American scientists who control the membership cf the Academy witncut any Government appointments; While varicus Federal agenciss may appoint representatives to the various divisions of the National Research Council (the operating body of the NAS), they serve to bring problems to the Council for advice, and not to control the astions or the opinions of Council, In the case ef this study, the President of the NAS, Dr, Detlev W, Bronk, called together some 100 Amarican scientists to carry cut the study as individuel citizens, While some of the scientists were Government employees and top advisers to Govern= ment on scientific matters, they were not acting in these capaci- ties in their participation in the study, The study was undertaker largely as:a result of the con- cern felt throughout the country following the March 1, 1954 thermonuclear test explosion at Bikini, as a result of which a number of Marshall Islanders and Japanese fishermen were irradiated by fallout debris from the explosion, Subsequently, a number of scientific bodies in the U.S, -passed resolutions requesting that a study be made of the possible effects on the human race of con~ tinued nuclear weapons testing, , NAS In April, 1955, the Roskefeller Foundation provided the NAS with funds for undertaking a very broad study cf the effects of atomic radiation, The subject reports are the final fruits of this study, whish will be a continuing cne. Whereas the AEC has always been aware of the possible hazards from fall-out from surface bursts of atomic weapons (see “Effects of Atomiz Weapons", 1952), it had been even more aware of possible hazards to nearby livestock and the public generally from serious accidents which could conceivably occur to large proeth Te ee c bom ere