UNCLASSIFIED
Part Vi
Biology and Medicine
- BROOKHAVEN MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER (UNCLASSIFIED)
The Brookhaven National Laboratory Medical Research Reactor (MRR)
frent critical at
9:44 p.m., March 15, 1959. Critical loading is 2,249.3 grams of uranium 239 approximately
100 grams less than was calculated. The MRR will be run for several week to conduct low
power measurements. Patient treatment is expected to begin later this yea
The program at Brookhaven utilizing the medical reactor will involve (9) exploration of
therapeutic effectiveness of neutron capture therapy in certain types of braifh tumors, (2) exploration of diagnostic usefulness and therapeutic effectiveness of radioisot§pes of very short
half-life, which will be produced in the reactor, and (3) activation analysis
gpplied specifically
to biological specimens.
With regard to short-lived radioisotopes, one of these, magnesium 56, has been applied at
Brookhaven to liver metastases in malignant neoplasia,
FALLOUT HEARINGS
Preparation of material was under way for the new hearings on falloutfto be held before
the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, scheduled to begin on May 5, 1959 Bibliographic ma-~
terial was being prepared by the Technical Information Service Extension,JOak Ridge.
PROJECT CHARIOT
A Planning Committee on Environmental Sciences has been establish
studies aimed at accomplishing a biological survey of the Cape Thompsonfarea of Alaska. In
these studies, information will be compiled on marine and land populationjdensities, migratory
habits, food chains, oceanography, and other pertinent subjects, as part of an investigation to
enable the Commission to make the necessary evaluation as to the feasibflity of Project
CHARIOT, a proposed experimental nuclear detonation near Cape Thompgon which would pro-
vide an excavation suitable for a harbor.
Dr. John N. Wolfe, Chief of the Environmental Sciences Branch of
Division of Biology —
and Medicine, is Chairman of the Planning Committee. Other members
ihclude representatives
of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology at the University of Washington,
the Atomic Energy
Project of the University of California at Los Angeles, and other appropiate organizations.
Committee members will confer with such organizations as the Alaska
h and Game Depart-
x
UNCLASSIFIED
D0E
VES