- - a Ue ae + ne. Boy cert ousrsaly PIN PART VI Biology and Medicine (UNCLASSIFIED) The underlying objectives of the biology and medicine program are to protect man and his resources against the hazards of radioactive and toxic by-products of atomic energy and to exploit the beneficial aspects of atomic energy by controlling and applying radiation to the treatment of disease and to the improvementof the nation’s sources of food. This issue of the Progress Report devotes special attention to weapon test activities and to selected recent accomplishments in research. It supplements the unclassified statement to be included in the forthcoming semiannual report to the Congress. (End of UNCLASSIFIED section.) DOE ARCHIVES WEAPONS TEST ACTIVITIES Investigation of Radiation Effects on Livesiock ( sees“SCHONJ oroyee eh After the spring 1953 test series at Nevada, March 17—June 4, livestock owners reported that horses, cattle, and sheep which had grazed on ranges adjacent to the Proving Ground appeared to have been injured as a result of radioactive fall-out from the test shots, The claims were examined by specialists of the Commission, U. S. Public Health Service, and the Department of Agriculcure in cooperation with representatives of several educational institutions. Laboratory experiments, post-mortem examinations, and studies of range corditions were made. Present findings are as follows: a, Of 21 head of horses grazing about eight miles from the test site, five showed no evidence of radiation injury but 16 had skin lesions over the back compara2dle with typical beta burns, The Commission recognizes that the injuries were apparently caused byfallout of radicactive particles, and arrangements are being made to compensate the livestock owners, b. Out of a group of several hundred head of cattle that had been on winter range adjacent to the test site until June 1, eight head died and the owners believec radiation may have been 2 contributory cause. Inspection of the remaining here and the condition of the range in June indicated that a large number of the cattle were in a state of malnutrition due to lack of renge forage and drought. Hematological and pathological] studies were made; no evidence of beta burns was found, and no siemificant amounts of radioactivity were present in the tissues or bones. The cattle owners have been notified that raciation injury could not have been 2 contributing cause of death. a eee ee