In summary, the report was totally reassuring as regards nuclear weapons testing, it did not attempt to face up to the problems of an atomiz war, and firally it was prececupied with the potential hazards inherent in a developing era of large scale atomic power. ommittes on Genatic Effects Tnis Committes consisted of geneticists, one authority on radiaticn pathology, ons authority on radiclogiszal physics and radiation hazard control, and a mathematician, Dr. WarrenWeaver of the Resksfeller Foundation, whe thsired the group. Tnsy considered the genetic effects against the background of preserit knowledge concerning radiation as a cause of mutations in micro-organisms, plants, insects, and mize, bearing in mind the tendensy of modern civilization ts songerve all human life whether perfect or imperfect, They call attention to tne perhaps greater importance of mutations which are relatively inapparent such as de= fects in resistance to disease prccesses, desreased fertility and ~ curtailed life span, and impaired physizal and mental vigor, The more drematis mutavions, monsters, still births, and early developmental defests leading te abortion and miscarriage are not apt to be passed onn to anotner gereratior.. The apparenvly relatively negative results of the genetizs survey of the survivors’ first generation at Hiroshima and Negasaki serve to emphasize tha validity of this point of view, This study demonstrated that with the methods used and the radiation dosages received, the heavily irradiated surviving population was net suffis jently large for it to be possible to demonstrate a statistically significant differense in the number of mitations in the offsprings of irradiated parents as compared with offsprings of non~irradiated control parents, It did not prove in any sense of the word that there was no genetic effect. INAS or. & Following a general discussion of the mechanisms of genetic change espezially as produced by radiation, both natural and artificial, the ccmmittee made certain rescmmendations, In doing so they used natural background radiation exposure (i.#,, radiation from codmic rays, igreous rocks, ‘radium and radiopotassium in our bodies, etc.) and the so-salled spontarnecus mutaticr rate as base lines, In addition they were unanimous that no increase in the sponsansous mutations rate was desirable and that all radiation exposure to the germ cells at whatever rate of exposure did indsed insrease the mutation rate in proportion to the total exposure ressived at the time of conception. Consequently they stated that all radiation exposure to the gonads was detrimental and consequently radiation exposures should be kept at the minimum consistent with the overall needs of a sccisty. They then cbserved that half of the American children were born of parents approximately 30 years cf age or less, They noted = 3 = Hoan RECPOL. pe * Aes Leos oye a le