The afternoon session was called to order at 1:35 p.m. at which time
DR. FORREST WESTERN spoke of the work being done on environmental radiation.
He spoke particularly of the fallout monitoring
program involving worldwide sampling as well as the
stratospheric sampling by means of balloon flights.
He
ENVIRONMENTAL
also told of the human sampling program and of environRADIATION
mental radiation in connection with peacetime applications
of atomic energy. The latter includes studies in the
field of radioactive waste disposal which is being done
jointly with the Sanitary Engineering group of the Division
of Reactor Development.
Most of this latter work is being carried under
other programs and does not appear as a budget item in the Division of
Biology and Medicine program.
At DR. DUNHAM’S request, DR. LOUGH spoke
briefly on the part the Health and Safety Laboratory plays, particularly
in analyzing fallout samples and bone and milk samples.
This milk
program nas recently been expanded to include human milk.
At this point DR. DUNHAM interrupted the meeting to greet Mr. John Graham,
recently appointed Commissioner, to whom the Advisory Committee was
introduced.
DR. JOHN WOLFE was then introduced and discussed the ecology and oceanography
programs.
He spoke of the broad aspects of the ecology program which
touched on almost every phase of research being conducted.
After Dr. Wolfe's presentation, DR. WARREN asked if there
ECOLOGY AND
OCEANOGRAPHY
was any indication as to whether the emphasis should be
on test-site studies, on food-chain
studies, or whether
there was any one aspect of this broad field that should
be followed in preference to random sampling in various
parts of the field.
DR. WOLFE answered that the total
approach of any field nearly in equilibrium as possible
would be more productive and should be followed for many years.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM suggested that perhaps some of the Coast Guard units
could be utilized for the collection of samples.
DR. BURNETT commented that there appeared to be a need for the Division
of Biclogy and Medicine staff to rush around the world dealing with
crises and increasing its activities dealing with fallout to the extent
that ecology and related work might suffer.
This he felt should be
guarded against.
DR. DUNHAM pointed out that it was for this reason
that he had recently placed the meteorology group, the soil science group,
and the general sampling, cceanography and marine biology under Dr. Wolfe
in order to unify this phase of the program.