ENCLOSURE 1 CRITIQUE OF THE REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES The Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation Based on (1) “A Report to the Public," and (2) "Summary Report." To understand and best evaluate the implications of this report it 13 important ts bear in mind the background of the individual scisntists who made the study and their relationship to the National Academy of Stiencses-National Research Council and to the Government, The NAS-NRC is nov a Government organization, True, it was established by President Lincoln in order to have a distinguished bedy cf ssientists with whem the Government could consult at the time of tns Civil War, On the other hand, it is a self- perpetuating bedy of free American scientists who control the membership of the Academy withcut any Government appointments, While various Federai agencies may appcint representatives to the various divisions of the Natisnal Research Couneil (the operating body of the NAS), they serve to bring problems to the Couneil for advice, and not tc control the astions er the opinions of Council, In the case of this study, the President of the NAS, Dr, Detlev W, Bronk, called together some 100 American scientists to carry cutthe study as individuel citizens, While some of the scientists were Government employées and top advisers to Govern= ment on scientific matters, they were not acting in these capacities in their participation in the study. The study was undertaker largely asia result of the con- cern felt throughout the country following the March 1, 1954 ther- monuclear test explosion at Bikini, as a result of which a number of Marshall Islanders and Japanese fishermen were irradiated by fallout debris from the explosion, Subsequently, a number of selentific bodies in the U.S, passed resolutions requesting that a study be made of the possible effects on the human race of continued nuclear weapons testing, NAS In April, 1955, the Roskafeller Foundation provided the NAS with funds for undertaking a very broad study cf the effects of atomic radiation, The subdject reports are the final fruits of this study, whish will be a sontinuing ons. Whereas the AEC has always been aware cf the possible hazards from fall-out from surface bursts cof atomic weapons (see "Effects of Atomiz Weapons”, 1952), it had been even more aware of possible hazards to nearby livestock and the public generally from saricus accidents whith could conceivably occur to large’ prous