Evening star., 1950-03-17
Atom Survivors
HaveProspect
0fNornla|Life
Acc Official Lifts
Secrecy Curtain for
Congress Probers
By Cecil Holland

DR.. Shields Warren, director ot
the Atomic Energy Commission
division of biology and medicine
said today survivors of an atomic
explosion can expect a reason.
ably normal life thereafter"
DR.. Warren was a witness as
the Senate House Atomic Com
mittee opened public hearings or
civilian defense in the event OF
an atomic blitz, lifting a little
more the curtain of secrecy or
the effect of atomic explosions.
The Acc official qualified his
statement to some extent by say
ing it was based on present
knowledge and that :"genetic
changes in the second and third
generations may yet be found
but we hope not to any great ex-
tent"
Eye Protection needed.
Other testimony included:
l. DR.. Warren said "the vast
majority" Of the Hiroshima and
Nagasaki atomic bombing victims
are Sin surprisingly good shape
2. There has been no noticeable
decrease in the birth rate of either
Hiroshima or Nagasaki and, DR.
Warren testified, very few in
stances of sterility."
3. DR.. Warren said there has
been no increase of abnormalities
among the survivors and added
that this "is a very reassuring
finding"
4. Several cases of radiation
cataracts were discovered last fall
among survivors who were near
the center of the blast. This, DR.
Warren said, points to the need fol-
protection OF eyes in the event
Of atomic explosions.
Food Contamination Likely.
5. Food and water are likely
to be contaminated by atomic
blasts and survivors should avoic
using them until they have beer
tested by trained authorities.
6. The Acc has developed ar
inexpensive Geiger counter that
will reflect by traffic signals" ot
green, yellow and red the inten-
S1ty of radiation from an atomic
blast.
John A. Perry Of the commits
sion'S division of biology and
medicine, described the new
counter to the Senate-House COM
mittee and said the instrument,
If put into large-scale produc-
ton, probably could be sold COM
mercially for from $40 to SIS.
He said the device was con-
sidered suitable for civilian de-
tense purposes for detecting radi-
alton intensities and was not in
tended, in its present form, fol
prospecting or other low leve.
monitoring.
instrument Light and Effective.
The instrument, he explained, i.
powered by f1ashlight batteries
weighs slightly under two and ont
half pounds, and is enclosed in 6
moisture-proof aluminium case.
He added that no field calibra.
ton of the instrument is necessary
and its dial is divided into three
color zones to show different in.
tensities of radiation.
In opening the hearings, Chair.
man Mcmahon of the Senate.
House committee said they woulc
be devoted to "the state of oul
civilian defense in the event o1
an atomic attack" He added
that the information to be dis
closed has been Carefully
screened" and designed "to aic
citizens of the United States anc
not to give aid and comfort tx
any one else."
Gordon Dean, a member of tht
Acc, explained that the Nationa
Securities Resources Board ha.
responsibility for overall planning
for civilian defense and that the
Acc is only one of IS or 20 Gov.
eminent agencies cooperating il
the undertaking. He said the
Acc was assigned the role "te
supply information to the NSRE
information concerning the eff.
fects of atomic explosions"
Senator Tydings, Democrat, O.
Maryland asked DR.. Warren how
(See ATOMIC, Page A-8)