FAGE SMt THE MICHIGAN DAILY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MEDICAL RADIATION, LEGAL ASPECTS: Phoenix Memorial Project Studies Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy (Continued from Page 1) T the hopes for the peaceful Use of the atom when they return to their homelands. Broad Influence- The project has attained a broad interdisciplinary influence, as well as its international effects, for research has been conducted in fields including anatomy, arch- aeology, bacteriology, b'o t a n y, chemistry, ,engineerir, geology, law, medicine and zoology, not to mention physics. Perhaps the greatest strides have been made in medicine. The avail- ability of tracers, such as radio- active iodine, make possible the investigation of numerous biologi- cal, chemical and physical phe- nomena associated with the human body. Carbon-14, for instance, has been used to trace sugar as it proceeds through various pathways in a living cell. From these and other studies of metabolic change of an often-used drug, levor- phanol, injected into brain tissue of rats, dogs and monkeys, the scientists have been able to save the lives of many patients over- dosed with the drug. , Medical Diagnosis Much other work has been done on controlling parasitic diseases through irradiation, diagnosing tumors of the abdomen, thyroid, eye and brain by means of radio- isotopic studies, maintaining a bone bank, in which bone and soft tissues are stored to be used for surgical transplantation, and per- fecting a method of sterilizing liv- ing bone tissue. Studies have also been done here on mental illness. One study attempt, the first recorded in med- ical literature, was made of in- dividuals inflicted with the mental disease cretinism, which is a re- sult of thyroid underactivity. It was found that adequate treat- ment with thyroid pills will pre- vent irreversible mental and phy- sical retardation. - Tracer Techniques Closely allied to the medical research are investigations in the biological sciences, in which tracer techniques also are used to analyze chemical processes and structures. One of these studies centers on the long-range effects of low- dosage radiation. Wing and vein construction of the fruit fly, which has a generation span of from nine to 10 days, is being analyzed in hopes of discovering the gen- etic mutations which varying amounts of radiation might cause. High-level gamma radiation has been used experimentally to dis- infect river water and sewage, and other studies include the probing of the tissue surrounding egg yolk, inorder to determine whether a protoplasmic bridge exists to transport nutrients. The Phoenix Project is also serv- ing public and scientific interests with its radiocarbon dating tech- niques. This laboratory work fixes through carbon-14 disintegration the dates of various prehistoric materials and objects. Skulls from the Himalyas, tusk fragements from New Mexico and agricultural tools from Mexico have all been dated at the University facilities. Engineering Research The engineering field has also been enhanced by project activi- ties. One study resulted in a more long-lasting type of automobile paint through a process leading to better polymerization with ir- radiation. Another project is studying the direct conversion of heat to electricity, especially since reactors give off heat as a by- product. Legal problems involved in the use of the atom have their place in the Phoenix scope. The Atomic Energy Research Program of the University's Legal Research In- stitute serves as a clearing house for national and international complications in law. These are only a- few of the Phoenix Project's activities through the years. When it was founded in 1948 by the then Student Legisla- ture, the project was intended to symbolize the Phoenix itself: the bird which every 500 years con- sumed itself in flames, then emerged revitalized for another cycle. And so out of the ashes of de- struction and despair arise the hopes for a better future. Men working on the Phoenix Project have pledged themselves to this ideal and to this goal. rs - Welcome! y . a G°,. . AL LE DEE r_ All Michigan Students 1[4 Id AVOID THE RUSH! BUY YOUR TEXTBOOKS FROM FOLLETT'S AS SOON AS YOU ARE CLASSIFIED. ASK FOR BOOKS BY COURSE NUMBERS. WE HAVE ADVANCED TEXT- BOOK INFORMATION. Every advance sale guaranteed to be right or your money will be cheerfully refunded. ': Sr \ / 0 0 i i i FOLLETT'S LEADS THE FIELD FRESHMEN! Buy your books at FOLLET T'S Get them early. We have a tremen- dous stock of everything you will need. Shop early from official Uni- versity lists. Everything is guaran- teed to be right. r "The Best Book Store On the Michigan Campus" -leadership awarded them by Michigan students year after year. -because they have what it takes, they have the books you want, when you want them, and at the right price - and always plenty of used books. It's so easy to buy your books at Follett's - self-service or clerk assistance if you want it. fI 0' il li" ntew/ and ted TE TBOOKS i * Every Book for Every Course * ALL USED BOOKS at Bargain Prices STUDENT SUPPLIES OF ALL KINDS MICH IGAN "Your Friendly Campus Book Store" BOOK I A .A ' - -U mU.. I I I