a ee ey ee ACY | Co 4 BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, Inc. UPTON, LI, N.Y, 11973 REFER: TEL. AREA CODE SIG YAPHANK 4-6262 i 1 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT January 27, 1972 Dr. Nathaniel F. Barr, Assistant Director for Radiological Physics Diviston of Biology and Medicine U. S. Atomic Energy Gommission Washington, D. C. 20545 Dear Nat: With regard to your letter of January 24, 1972 on "Leukocyte Preparations for Bikini Population,'' I have the following suggestions: i believe that leukocyte cultures and chromosome preparations can best be accomplished on blood samples in the Marshalls rather than on samples returned to the United States. It is my understanding that blood samples should be relatively fresh For culturing chromosomes. Due to transportation difficulties, both within the Marshall Islands and between the Marshalls and the United States, it seems doubtful that sufficiently fresh samples would arrive in the United States for satisfactory cultures. Based on our experience with culture and preparation of chromosome smears at Rongelap Island, I do not believe that preliminary sampling at Kili is feasible due to: 1. 2. Difficuities in getting ashore from ship or piane at that island due to lack of lagoon with protecting coral reef. This would be less treacherous in summer months than in winter months. ~ The need for a rather sophisticated laboratory set up for this work including a sizeable generator (to run incubators, centifuges, etc.) which are essential and we found an airconditioned room is desirable} It would be difficult to set up such a laboratory at Kili. To me, the best plan would be to collect samples at Bikini when the people have returned and take them immediately by amphibious O66"? 90095hb