12, The Commission has made public all the pertinent information
which it had collected on this subject, with due regard to national
The National Academy of Sciences, the Nation's foremost
security,
independent scientific body, engaged in an independent study of the
biological effects of atomic~radiation, conducted by approximately
150 of the most distinguished authorities in their several fields. The
results were publicly reported in June, 1956.
13,
The report states that, except for accidents, the biological damage
from peacetime activities, which include the testing of atomic weapons,
has been "essentially negligible." For a fuller statement of the
radiation exposure from all weapons tests to date and from future tests
continued at the past testing rate, the entire report of the National
14,
As regards fallout of strontium 90 from weapons testing, Dr.
pen
Willard F, Libby of the Atomic Energy Commission has stated that
‘om at
a
the present rate of testing, if continued indefinitely, would not produce
a dangerous level of concentration of strontium 90 in the human body.
Dr. Shields Warren, eminent radiologist, has stated that bone .
deposition of strontium 90 is well below the natural background level
of radiation, and that to cause harmful effects the dose would have to
be increased many times,
15. Mention might be made at this point of various speculations
concerning the effect of atomic explosions upon the weather. The
National Academy of Sciences also established a Committee on
Meteorology which gave attention to this question and which concluded
that there was no evidence to indicate that climate has been in any way
altered by past atomic and thermonuclear explosions,
16,
The Atomic Energy Commission has made extensive reports on
the subject of 'fallout", including the most authoritative scientific data,
in testimony before various committees of the Congress.
REPRODUCED AT TRE DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER LIBRARY
17, On the initiative of the United States, an international study of the
subject was undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations. This
study is now in progress.
Ill.
THE LONG-RANGE DETECTION OF THE DETONATION OF
NUCLEAR WEAPONS..
18, A system for monitoring the occurrence of an explosion, attributable
to an atomic source, was initiated by the Governmentin sufficient time
to detect a Soviet nuclear explosion which occurred on the 29th of
August, 1949, and which was announced by the President on September
23rd of that year.
19, Including that test and since that date, the organization
concerned
with this responsibility has detected 7 series of weapons
tests within
Soviet territory. These series have been announced by
our Government
as they occurred and were detected. Particular
detonations which
presented any unusual characteristics have been
specifically identified
at the time of detection,
more
Sa
t
ayHOWE
Academy of Sciences should be examined.
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