PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED 5 of leukemia. There is some circumstantial evidence to suggest that pesticides and spermatocides affect the mortality of subsequent offspring of parents so exposed. In animal and plant studies genetic changes have been produced by pesticides. The increased use of tobacco by women, malnutrition, and general exposure to pesticides, toxic chemicals, other pollutants and spermatocides all have an effect on increasing the mortality rates and decreasing birth weight. Unfortunately the exact contribution of each is not know, and if radiation is also a factor, we do not know its dose effect. Because the emotionally packed question has been raised, and since we have no firm indication of its magnitude, I believe an intensive effort should be made to confirm or deny the allegations of Dr. Sternglass. As recommended by Radiation Medicine during the past year, a start should be made by review- ing the vital statistics for Nevada and Utah for the period 1940 to present. Also the survey of vital statistics should include other diseases and abnormalities of radiation interest (e.g., leukemia, congenital abnormalities, etc.) in addition to infant mortality and birth weight. be the easiest to determine from birth records. Birth weight should In 1957 I looked into the incidence of leukemia in Nevada and Utah. This was the result of the allegation by some people in the Off-Site area that the boy died of radiation induced leukemia. My explanation at the time was that no one case could be singled out as being due, or not due, to radiation. Radiation induction’ of leukemia could only be detected by a Statistical increase in the total number of leukemias. In 1957 we found no Significant increase in either leukemias or congenital abnormalities. For several years following 1957 I kept a "general outlook" for any unusual changes in either leukemia or congenital anomaly rates. In 1959-60 it was reported to me that St. George, Utah, had had three cases of leukemia in one year. This was about seven years after the 1953 "dirty shots." Investigation of the vital statistics of Utah through the State Health Department showed no significant increase in leukemia for Utah as a whole, or for the Cedar City area in particular. For the preceding several years St. George had averaged one case of leukemia every other year, then one year with three cases, followed by several years of only a case every other year. Statistical evaluation by Mr. Ed Weiss indicated thé three cases to be within NORMAL deviation; if there would have been four cases, it would have been a Significant change. At the same time we were looking at leukemia we also took a brief look at congenital anomalies, but found no significant change. We did not look at fetal, neonatal or prenatal mortality rates or at birth weights. I believe that if significant changes in vital statistics do occur due to "fallout" or chronic low-level irradiation, they should be first apparent in the area surrounding the Nevada Test Site, i.e., Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and Colorado. PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED