US GBR
176
RADIATION STANDARDS, INCLUDING FALLOUT
report. These include, for example, development of improved methods
of sampling and more rapid methods for determination of strontium
90. Investigations are also being made of the factors contributing to
the occurrence of high levels of radionuclides in market milk. It is
hoped that the research leading to the establishment of indicator foods
and the compilation of basic food consumption data will enable us to
obtain more accurate estimates of the total daily intake of radioactive
materials within the most important population groups.
Someof the more significant findings of these symptoms have been
described by Dr. Chadwick, as indicated by the schedule. On the
basis of past experience, these hearings generally, as well as your comments and questions on this presentation, will be valuable to us in planning future activities.
Representative Pricz. Thank you, Mr. Terrill, for your fine statement. Weappreciate havingit.
On thefirst page of your summary statement you state that liaison
is maintained between the various pertinent Federal agencies to assure
the continuous interchangeof surveillance information. Will youtell
the committee how this is organized and how communications are
affected ?
Mr. Territ. Sir, the basic system on which we are operating at the
present time dates back to a meeting on September6 shortly after the
Soviet weapons testing began. It was agreed at the policy level
between the Atomic Energy Commission and the Department that
Mr. Dwight Ink, Assistant General Manager, would serveas the policy
coordinator for AEC, and that Mr. Jones, Assistant Secretary for
Health and Medical Affairs of our Department, would handle policy
matters from that standpoint. Operationally, Dr. Woodruff, of AEC,
and I were designated to maintain liaison. On the day-to-day basis
our respective radiation surveillance centers are expected to keep each
of us up to date as things comein.
Representative Price. Youstate that sampling is done by the State
health departments. What technical staffing do these departments
have and howwell equipped is the instrumentation and machines?
Mr. Terrini. With regard to these particular sampling programs,
the States are given air samplers. They are also given standards that
they can use to measure the radioactivity on the filter pads. We in
turn check the readings from the filter pads and thus maintain uniformity throughout the country. Some of the States, I might say, are
probably just as well equipped as we are to carry out all the measurements. Other States have very little in the way of equipment and personne]. We try to maintain a uniform system within the surveillance
system regardless of the capability of the individual States.
_ With regard to the milk, it is simply a matter of State representatives picking up the samples from collecting stations which meet the
basic criteria which have been established for the network. They may
and in manycases make additional samplings but these are not shipped
to ourlaboratories and analyzed.
Representative Prick. Dr. Chadwick stated this morning, and you
state In your paper, that milk is the best single indicatorof significant
elements from fallout and ean be quickly measured. Howsoon after
taking the milk sample can it be completely analyzed ?
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