Summary of the Research Progress Meeting

This summary discusses the following topics: (1) Neutron Scattering. By R. Hildebrand. A series of measurements have been made of the angular distribution of neutrons scattered from small spheres of various materials placed in the neutron beam of the l84-inch cyclotron. The scattered neutrons were detected by copper covered carbon detectors placed in a symmetrical arrangement about the scatterer. The carbon detectors, which wore activated by the neutrons through the C{sup 12}(n, 2n)C{sup 11} reaction, were counted using an arrangement involving four counting tubes. The copper around the detectors served the purpose of stopping any protons. A carbon disk monitor was placed at the collimating channel in the cyclotron shield. This disk Was also counted by the same arrangement. (2) Electrical Resistance of the Blood. By R. Rosenthal. It has been found that animals exposed to total body irradiation developed in their blood an anti-coagulant called heparin. This substance, which can be produced synthetically, has the property of prolonging the clotting time of the blood. In an article which appeared in 'Science' some work was reported on the variation of the electrical resistance of the blood with the amount of heparin present, If some simple relationship could be found between the electrical resistance and the amount of heparin in the blood it might be possible to get a measure of the total radiation to which the animal had been subjected. In the work mentioned above the electrical resistance was found to vary with time for normal human blood and blood from people treated with heparin in the manner shown in Figure. 3. The clotting time was the same for both cases. (3) l84-inch Deflector. By J. Vale. In an effort to determine the shape of the deflected deuteron beam as it emerges from the 1/8 inch aluminum window in the tank, a mosaic of 1/2 inch carbon squares placed 3/4 inch apart in a rectangular array was placed close to the window and bombarded for a short interval of time. The carbon squares were then counted and the intensity of the activity examined as a function of the position in the array. Figure 5 shows the horizontal distribution of the deflected beam taken along the line which passed through the point of maximum intensity. (4) Spectrochemical analysis. By J. Conway. The spectrochemical laboratory is now prepared to handle a number of different types of problems. One of these is quantitative tests in the microchemical fluid on precipitates, sludges, etc., where an accuracy of 0.1 to 0.01 pecent can be secured