40 SOS
Charles W. Edington, Associate Director
for Kesearch and Development Programs, BER
CHROMOSOME ANALYSIS ON BIKINI PEOPLE
Dr. Barr's memo of April. 9 makes it important to put on record what
has been done since his earlier memo to you of September 7, 1973 on
the same subject,
The following are notes from my discussions with experts in November
1973. The question addressed to them was would it be scientifically
important to get information on chromosomal aberrations induced by
low chronic levels of irradiation such as these people may be exposed
to when they return home, Another question to them was would it be
possible within reasonable limits to do a good study. The question
whether this information would be medically useful to the indigenous
people was not discussed,
This is a separate concern and may be the
most important in determining whether any work of this kind should
be done.
BREWEN AND PRESTON, Oak Ridge
Logistics:
200 people, at say six per day would take two
sclentists about one month to do,
Equipment:
Small medical lab, two portable incubators,
centrifuge, microscope,
People:
Perhaps one person could do it, but two would
be much better. Need people of the technician
level, highly qualified. Carolyn Gooch could do
it, Judy Bodicoat (Shelly Wolff's assistant)
could do it.
Slide Reading;
More than one lab might do it:
Shelly Wolff, Mike Bender, Brewen and Preston.
Kastenbaum, of the American Tobacco Institute
would bea good person to consult on experimental
design.