PART -VI
Biology cand Medicine
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(UNCLASSIFIED)
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The underlying obj ectives of the biology and medicine program are to
‘0 protect man ‘and
. hig resources againstthe hazards of radioactive and toxic by-products of atomic energy
andto exploit the beneficial aspects of atomic energy by controlling and applying radiation
- to the treatment of disease andto the improvement of the nation’s sourcesof food, This .
_issue of the Progress Report devotes special. attention to weapon testactivities andto
selected recent accomplishments in research. It supplements the unclassified statement to
be included inthe forthcoming semiannual report to the Congress. End of UNCLASSIFIED
section.)
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WEAPONS TEST ACTIVITIES
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Investigation of Radiation Effects on Livestock PF
- 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 appearedto 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 Agriculture in cooperation with representatives of. several
educational institutions. Laboratory experiments, post-mortem examinations, and studies |
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of range conditions 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 comparable with typical
beta burns. The Commission recognizes that the injuries were apparently caused by fallout of radioactive particles, and arrangements are being made to compensate the livestock
owners.
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b, Out of a group of several hundred head of cattle that had been on winter range ad-
jacent to the test site until June 1, eight head died-and the owners believedradiation may
have been a contributory cause. Inspection of the :remaining herd and the condition of the
range in June indicated that a large numberof the cattle were in a state of malnutrition due
to lack of range forage and drought. Hematological and pathological studies were made; no
evidence of beta burns was found,.and no significant amounts of radioactivity were present
in the tissues or bones. The cattle owners have been notified that radiation injury could not
have been a contributing cause of death.
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