DOE ARCHIVES
Part vi
Biology and Medicine
TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION CENTER qa
Problemsof toxicity of both radioactive and nonradioactive materials have arisen re-
peatedly within the operations of the Atomic Energy Commission and its contractors. Requests
for information on items of toxicology are often made of the headquarters office. In order to
obtain assistance and provide for an orderly handling of the requests, the AEC entered into a
contract with the Toxicological Information Center, which was recently established in Washington, D. C., within the National Research Council. The center is sponsored by the three
armed forces and the AEC, Its function is to collect and correlate information and advise only
its sponsors in matters of toxicology.
REPATRIATION OF THE RONGELAPESE
On June 29, the Rongelap people returned to their home island in the Marshall Islands. As
a result of a number of radiological surveys since the March 1954 detonation in the Pacific, it
was determined that levels of radioactivity had decreased to the point where it was safe for the
people to live on their home atoll again, Preceding their return, rehabilitation of the island was
completed. This included restoration or construction of houses and cleanup of the water supply
system.
PROJECT SUNSHINE
The distribution of radioactive fallout is being studied by a stratospheric sampling program and by a worldwide system of open pots which are measured monthly for strontium 90
content. The soil analysis program continues as does the gummed paper program, though less
weight is being attached to results from thelatter.
On the human side, marked advances in an understanding of the distribution of strontium 90
and cesium 137 in the human body and the variation from one individual to another are being
made through a program of whole-skeleton analysis in the New York City area.
Fallout testimony was given, May 27—June 7, in hearings before the Subcommittee on
Radiation of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy.
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Systematic collection of samples of food from foreign countries was continued under te
program of the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense in which the
AEC is participating. Data are being obtained on the principal sources of calcium in the typical
diet of each country and the average calcium and strontium 90 content of the foods collected in
enna,