403786
BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY
ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC.
. 7
UPTON. L.I.. N.Y.
TEL.
YAPHANK
REFER
4-6262
July 10, 1959
Dr. Charles L. Dunham, Director
Divasion ot Biclogy and Medicine
Atomic Energy Commission
Washington 25, D. C.
Dear Chuck:
Yesterday I went to the United Nations in New York and had a
session with Mr. Nucker as you suggested. It was quite apparent that
he was extremely concerned about the number of people coming into and
out of Rongelap and the disturbing intluence resulting trom this. As
you mentzoned, he seemed to be less antagonistic toward our medical
surveys than toward the University ot Washington surveys.
It was apparent that the Trust Territory ofticials do not have
a grasp ot the significance and importance ot the medical surveys. For
instance, I was surprised that Mr. Nucker did not appreciate the fact
that the body burdens of the Rongelap people had increased since their
return to Rongelap. They seem to take the attitude that we are merely
carrying out a scientitic experiment using the Rongelap people as
“guinea pigs.”
I tried to make our position in this matter clear and
to emphasize the importance of
continuity in our observations of the
people tor the early detection of signiticant changes that may be
related to radiation so that they could be treated as soon as possible
and that the scientific value ot these studies was extremely important,
but that this was secondary to the tormer objective.
I told Mr. Nucker that we understood his problems and were
willing to cooperate to as great an extent as possible without com
promising our primary responsibilities. To this end I suggested that
we might omit the whole-body comts on the next survey, thus avoiding
the necessity ot a ship and that we carry out, with a team of some 8
men, the basic hematological work and physical examinations.
This could
be accomplished by prior transport of necessary equipment and supplies
trom Kwajalein via Trust Territory ship to Rongelap and air-lift of
personnel trom Kwajalein to Rongelap at the time ot the survey. Mr.
Nucker indicated that he would like to have Trust Territory medical
personnel participate to make it less obvious that it was an “AEC
medical team." I readily agreed with this and indicated that it was
t, Zech oth
recwrm tbsNhap
highly desirable and he promised to turnish us one American doctor,
\
eye
COLLECTION SZA8l
BOX No.
FOLOEA
aOX ~ 2