suggested by the Division -and accepted by the Federal Civil

istration (see report for January 1951).

Suitable field inst

has now been made available through studies at the Rochester
AEC Project (UR-180). A convenient measurement kit has been
consisting of an 8-ounce metal container for the water to be. t

two calibration standards with the radioactive material distr

the inner surface of duplicate container lids. These standar
justed to give the same meter deflections (on commercially avpilable survey meters such as civil defense monitors might have) as are.
mixed fission products in water at concentrations of 3.5 mic curies per
liter (judged safe for 10-day consumption) and 90 microcurie per liter
(judged to be an acceptable risk for a 10-day period). Civi defense
monitors can hence make simple determinations on the spot to
certain.
the degree of radiological safety of drinking water.
Health physics research at Oak Ridge.
Two members of the Biophysics Branch visited Oak Ridge to review the program of hea Nth physics
research in the Laboratory, and general problems of radiatio protection
in the various plant processes. Of particular interest are ome of the
health protection problems posed by the use of the calutron > electromagnetic separator) in experimental studies.
Among items of current research interest are a continuous monitoring device for radio ictive contamination in drinking water, neutron measurement, and theor Phical studies

on the damage of tissues by fast neutrons, and a joint proje tt with TVA
' on the uptake of fission products by fish in the contaminate White Oak
Pond storage basin.
Civil Defense Liaison Branch

Collaboration with FCDA. The Chief, Civil Defense Li ison Branch,
and the Chief, Test Activities Branch, Division of Military pplication,
met at Los Alamos and Albuquerque with four representatives fof FCDA and

the Santa Fe Manager of Operations, members of his staff, a

the Test

Director and staff members for discussions on the FCDA partjgcipation in
Operation BUSTER this fall. From these conferences the FC
program of
participation has been arranged to include the following itdms:
1.

Testing of backyard-type bomb shelters.

Shelters of two basic

riefly, 20

types will be placed and expos d during the

operation in accordance with a detailed proposal sub hitted by the
FCDA Research Coordination Group.
2.
Participation of three (possibly four) FC bDA-designated
individuals in tre test radiological safety program. This calis

t

a4

5

t

-

‘f yj

‘

J

el

*4

tire operéty with tne

oathe

on

for the persons nemed to be present throughout the
ticn anc to be eveilable for a variety of types of
+
nA
- owe
wwe
.
vest yaacerety crgenizaticn.

Select target paragraph3