/ /NV Ree SOLLECTION & a" ged al Be hw ee t a =OLOER é C CF ethernet EPOSITORY wizll BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LAZ ORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC. wee UPTON, LL. NOY. W773 REFER: TEL, AREA CODE 816 YAPHANK 4-6262 401992 - MEDICAL DEPARTMENT- November 3, 1969 Dr. John R. Totter Director, Division of Blology & Medicine U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Kashington, Ds C. 20545 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 5 Dear Joba; On Friday Octobar 31, 1969 a conterence was held with Mr. Edward Johnston, High Commissioner of the Trust Territory, in regard to certain problems concerning the medical surveys of the Marshallese. Dave Bruner and Nat Barr were with me and Mr. Fred Radewagon, the Washington liaison officer for the High Commissioner was also present. [I also had the pleasure later of meeting Mrs. Elizabeth Farrington, Director of Territories of the Department of Interior and discussed briefly most of the problems referred to below. The following summarizes the subjects discussed, ' 1. Request by T.T. for AEC support for travel and per diem of Trust Territory personnel participating ‘in the Rongelap surveys (See copies of letters enclosed). I reviewed the background of the medical surveys and expressed appreciation f the fine support the Trust Territory has given us in the past. It was «..so0 pointed out that continued careful examination of these exposed populations, particularly in view of the serious development of thyroid abnormalities, would be necessary in the future. Mr. Johnston was entirely sympathetic toward our objectives. He pointed out however, that at a recent meeting of the Micronesian congress, that body recommended against the use of any T.T. funds for the support of any damages or results of AEC-DOD testing, including monetary support of Bikini rehabilitation and the AEC medical surveys, In recent years we have been paying for the use of the ship for the survey as well as most of the expenses, However the Trust Territory had paid for the travel and per diem of their participating personnel, in the survey. Mr. Johnston said that the attitude of the Micronesian congress puts them in a most difficult position and he hoped that we would be able to handle the travel and per diem payments of participating Marshallese personnel(See attached letter from Mr. Coleman). I told him that I had been in correspondence with Mr. William Bonnet, AEC Honolulu,about the subject and that I was assured that there would be sufficient funds to pay travel and per diem for 3-4 Trust Territory personnel on the next survey(the money was available in view of the cancellation of the Bikini counting facility at this time). Mr. Bonnet pointed out that if the AEC coneurs with this arrangement in the future more funds ($3,000.-4,000, annually) would have to be made available for the Biomedical surveys. I personally feel that the attitude of the Micronesian