Milford chronicle., 1947-05-30


on atomic energy, the dictionary OF
tiles but withholding war secrets.
Thirty-three diseases are listed as
suitable weapons for biological war
fare. Some could be used in concen-
trations to neutralize cities and huge
war production belts or they could be
aimed at specific targets like naval
bases or even troops in action
Scientists are as much frightened
as anyone else by the possibility OF
misuse of SCIENCE" said DIR. Maurice
Visscher, president of the American
Association of Scientific Workers, for
whom the report was originally pre-
pared in 1912.
Peace the Only Defense
"ylle only real defense against bac-
terial warfare is peace" said DR..
Visscher, quoting George Merck, who
made report on the subject to the
Secretary of War in 1946.
Because of its geographic isolation,
the United States is peculiarly vul-
nerable, Dr. Visscher declared.
In case of bacterial attack on this
country by an enemy in Europe, he
said, the attackers own people would
be safe from the bacteria used and
retribution in kind by this country
would be difficult because of danger
to neutral countries.
Meanwhile in New York, Andrei A.
Gromyko, Soviet deputy foreign min
lister, warned the United States that
continuance of its monopoly theory
of atomic development was an "illu-
sion," since it was impossible to stop
the march of science
Unless atomic weapons are out
lawed promptly by the United Ma
tions, Gromyko said, this country
might soon find itself in a less favor
able position in the atomic field.
New Atomic Weapon
American atomic scientists, like
those all over the world were busy.
= A Senate subcommittee on aviation
heard briefly last week about new
atomic weapon-a radioactive cloud a
mile in diameter Materials which
might go into atomic gas shells to
form such cloud already are in pro-
duction at Oak Ridge, Tenn, for med
ical and scientific research purposes.
The prediction of cloud mile in
diameter hurting lethal rays is in line
with what the late President Roose-
welt was told in 1889 when he was
persuaded to undertake the atomic
bomb projects
The 40,000-word report on bacterial
warfare was complied in 1912 from
studies which scientists had been
making quietly in eight countries
not including Germany Nazi research
on bacterial weapons had disappeared
within the veil of censorship long be-
fore that time.
Lethal Germs
The report discounts such common
ly feared germ weapons as cholera
smallpox, typhoid fever, bubonil
plague, leprosy and venereal diseas,
because of the availability of vaccine
or the difficulty in spreading the dis
ease.
The best weapons would be infec
tions which people get by breathing
These include tularemia, or rabbit
fever, not the common form but
laboratory development that spread
in air and causes pneumonia; pneu
monic plague which is the lung forr
of the plague Black Death, an
\mehoidosis, fatal infection so rar
in nature that only 95 cases were re
corded medically until few year
ago.
During the last war, Japan mad
use of prevailing westerly winds /;
high attitudes to unleash on Americ
balloon-borne bombs. These aeri;
currents might also make Amerie
vulnerable to bacterial attack frol
Asia without the use of planes.
DR.. Visscher said his associate
made public the report, with War D.
partment permission, in an effort
bring home to people of the world Il
potentialities of bacterial warfare.
1.-THE American public cannot
impressed too strongly with the n
cessity of making arrangements
preserve peace now" he said, "b
cause 10 years from now it will
too late