TMC Library McGovern Center Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) Collections

The ABCC, or Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, was founded by the National Academy of Sciences at President Truman's directive in 1946 (Putnam 1988). Its aims included studying the impacts of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the health of the Japanese populace. American physicians and scientists traveled to Japan to this end, cooperating with Japanese physicians and researchers to study radiation's effects. The TMC McGovern Center houses the ABCC Collections physically at its Historical Research Center (8272 El Rio, Suite 190, Houston, TX 77054), though many collections are also digitized and available for online exploration (click here for a list of helpful links).

Source: ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 4, Folder titled "Scenes of ABCC, Kure, Hiroshima, Japan."

The collection holds several images of the grounds and facilities of ABCC bases across Japan, including research facilities in Nagasaki and Hiroshima (not pictured). The first ABCC laboratory began in a railroad car, initially set up by the US to handle potential disasters (picture linked here, Putnam 1988, Figure 2), while the main operations were squished into requisitioned facilities in Hiroshima proper. Later, satellite laboratories were also established in the nearby city of Kure (Agaoka 1988; ABCC buildings at Kure pictured above, and model of Kure buildings pictured below). The location of the ABCC's main headquarters, Hijiyama Hill, also held a Shinto memorial and a military cemetery, sparking ethical debate that is representative of the ABCC's controversial legacy (Putnam 1988; Schull p29-30 1990).

Source: ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 4, Folder titled "Model of ABCC at Kure, Japan."

In order to make way for ABCC buildings in Hiroshima, the aforementioned military graves were moved (Schull p29 1990), leading to resentment from Hiroshima's citizens. This resentment was but one issue among many; numerous Japanese citizens viewed the ABCC as an exploitative intrusion of the American government. Moreover, tension between Japanese and American scientists ran high due to differing privileges and treatment (O'Malley 2016). Finally, ABCC-employed physicians were not allowed to administer treatment to impacted individuals under study. While rationales for this policy were multifold and changed with time, historical rationales included preserving the economic welfare of Japanese physicians, avoiding implications about the morality of atomic weapon usage, and focusing solely on a scientific mission (O'Malley 2016; Lindee 1994). Indeed, growing resentment regarding the no-treatment policy among Japanese individuals posed serious problems for long-term cooperation in ABCC studies (Lindee 1994). In practice, however, it is likely that ABCC physicians did indeed provide care to impacted Japanese individuals. As one example, Dr. William C. Moloney, M.D. (whose papers are contained within this collection) treated a young Japanese boy, Masaichi Miyamoto, who had radiation-resultant leukemia (Lindee 1994; William C. Moloney papers; MS 073; John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library). Further documents suggest that other physicians may have also provided surreptitious care (Lindee 1994).

Source: ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 5, P-5107, 5.59, titled "A visit by Princess Chichibu."

The ABCC Collections also include photographs of historical figures who visited the ABCC throughout its history. The collections include a photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt, for example, who visited the ABCC in 1953 (IC099-p5009-001, IC 099 Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission Photograph Collection, McGovern Historical Center, TMC Library). Interestingly, the Collections also showcase many photos of a visit that Princess Chichibu made to the ABCC in 1960 ("Series 10,” n.d., 10). Princess Chichibu was a member of Japan's Imperial Family; in her youth, she attended the Friends School in Washington D.C. before marrying Prince Chichibu, eldest brother of the then-Emperor. Princess Chichibu lived in Japan for the remainder of her life, but frequently made trips to Europe. One notable article covering a brief trip to the US noted that Prince Chichibu decidedly refrained from commenting upon US-Japan relations in 1937, as he stated, "I do not feel I can say anything about international affairs. I hope you ask another thing" (The New York Times 1937). Included in the above photos is Dr. George B. Darling, director of the ABCC from 1957-1972 (“George B. Darling, 1906-1995 – Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF)” 1955). Dr. Darling's appointment, combined with the appointment of the Francis Committee which sought to reorganize the ABCC for maximum efficiency, is recognized as a crucial factor that allowed the ABCC to continue despite initial financial and organizational difficulties (Putnam 1988).

Sources: ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 8, Folder P-5171 8.3, titled "Dr. Isamu Nagai." (Top), ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 8, Folder P-5171 8.5, titled "Dr. Isamu Nagai Sitting at his Desk." (Bottom)

The ABCC Collection houses photographs of staff members and directors alike. Dr. Darling is pictured often, as is Dr. Isamu Nagai, M.D. (above). Dr. Nagai served as Associate Director of the ABCC and Director of the Nagasaki Branch Laboratory Japanese National Institute of Health from 1957 to 1975 (Nagai 1988, Radiation Effects Research Foundation). In a reflection on his involvement in the ABCC written in 1988, Dr. Nagai wrote:

"I consider it essential that in-depth inquiries and re-evaluations are made again and again from different angles. I hope the present staff engaged in the research program will dedicate itself even more to this vital endeavor. In retrospect, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to become associated over the years with so many people and to receive their kind encouragement and support. Many have passed away, but memories of them remain fresh in my mind. My association with the staff has waned, since my retirement more than 10 years ago, but I extend my heartfelt wishes for the continued development of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation."

Dr. Isamu Nagai. “Cooperation of Japanese National Institute of Health – RERF Newsletter 14 (40th Anniversary Special Issue): 47-48.” Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 1988.

Notably, Dr. Nagai references the development of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, or RERF. The RERF is modern continuation of the ABCC, restructured in 1975 to promote increased binational involvement (Putnam 1988).

Source: ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 6, Folder P-5113, 6.6 titled "A volleyball tournament at the Hiroshima City Central Volleyball Court."

The ABCC collections also contain many images of ABCC staff and their families enjoying leisure time (above, volleyball; below, flower-arranging class). These photographs provide a unique view into the free time of scientists and ABCC-adjacent individuals when much of the other material housed in the archives is focused on scientific progress made by the ABCC or historical happenings.

Sources: ABCC Photograph Collection, 1946-1975, IC 099; McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. Box 8, Folder P-5194, 8.28, titled "Flower arrangement class for the wives of ABCC personnel."

Links for Further Exploration:

• Photographs and manuscripts donated by former members of the ABCC can be found here. Some collections are available only physically, while others have been digitized (notably, the William C. Moloney Papers containing his personal journal, located here, as well as the ABCC photograph collection, located here).

• One ABCC collection, the papers of Dr. Howard Hamilton, M.D. includes hundreds of hand-drawn cartoons by Dr. Akio AWA, Sc.D., from his time working in the ABCC in Hiroshima. Other contributors also appear, including Dr. Arthur D. Bloom, M.D. An article about an exhibit of the cartoons (by Archivist and Librarian Matt Richardson) can be found here, while the digitized cartoons themselves can be found here.

• A small article written about the ABCC photograph collections, written by Archivist and Librarian Matt Richardson, can be found here.

• Further digitized collections can be found on the TMC's Digital Commons website in the "Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission" collection, linked here. Collections include the William C. Moloney, M.D. papers, the Robert D. Lange, M.D. papers, the Mac Suzuki Photographs collection, the Howard B. Hamilton M.D. papers, and the ABCC Photograph Collection.

References:

All photos cited in-text.

• Agaoka, Yutaka. “Memories of the ABCC Kure Laboratory.” Radiation Effects Research Foundation Website, January 1988.

• “George B. Darling, 1906-1995, Excerpted from ‘In Memoriam,’ RERF Update 7[2]:7,” 1955. Radiation Effects Research Foundation Website.

• Lindee, M. Susan. “Atonement: Understanding the No-Treatment Policy of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission.” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 68, no. 3 (1994): 454–90.

• Nagai, Isamu. “Cooperation of Japanese National Institute of Health – RERF Newsletter 14 (40th Anniversary Special Issue): 47-48.” Radiation Effects Research Foundation Website, 1988.

• O’Malley, Gerald F. “The Grave Is Wide: The Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Legacy of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation.” Clinical Toxicology 54, no. 6 (July 2, 2016): 526–30. https://doi.org/10.3109/15563650.2016.1173217.

• Putnam, Frank W. “The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in Retrospect.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95, no. 10 (May 12, 1998): 5426–31. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.10.5426.

• Schull, William J. “Song among the Ruins.” In Song among the Ruins. Harvard University Press, 2013. https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674422063.

• “Series 10.” Accessed April 8, 2024. https://www.nasonline.org/about-nas/history/archives/collections/organized-collections/atomic-bomb-casualty-commission-series/abcc-series-10.html.

• The New York Times. “PRINCE CHICHIBU IS GREETED HERE.” April 7, 1937.