Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Cage 767
Marks, Sydney
Sidney Marks Papers
1946-1988
10.5 Linear feet of shelf space
21 boxes
These papers document Sidney Marks's professional activities as a research scientist with a special expertise in the health effects of radiation.
Collection materials are inEnglish, with a few items in German and Japanese.
Sidney Marks was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 28, 1918. He initially trained as a medical doctor with a specialty certification in human pathology. He received his medical degree in 1942 from the University of Illinois and obtained a board certification in pathology in 1947. He worked as a pathologist for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1947 to 1948, and in 1950 he moved to Richland, Washington.
In Richland, he worked both at Kadlec Hospital and at General Electric Hanford's Biology Laboratory. His work at Hanford cultivated a new interest in the effects of low-level radiation exposure and inspired him to further his education. In 1961, he earned a Master of Science degree in physics from the University of Idaho and a Ph.D. in biostatistics at the University of California Los Angeles in 1970.
His dual skills in medicine and biostatistics, along with his keen interest in radiation, led Dr. Marks to a long and productive career with the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), the Energy Research Development Administration (ERDA, predecessor of the Department of Energy), and the U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
In 1971, after several years in graduate school and an appointment as associate professor at University of Maryland Medical School, Marks joined the Atomic Energy Commission's Division of Biology and Medicine (later the ERDA). He served as the agency's coordinator of human studies and biostatistics until 1976. While in this position he worked with the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC), oversaw health physics studies and radiobiology of uranium studies, and was involved in the highly controversial epidemiologic study of Hanford workers commonly known as the Mancuso study.
In 1976, Marks left the ERDA and returned to Richland to accept a position as program manager for epidemiological studies at Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Program. Dr. Marks was instrumental in the creation of the United States Uranium Registry and the development of standard for uranium exposure.
These papers document Sidney Marks's professional activities as a research scientist with a special expertise in the health effects of radiation. The collection includes reports, scientific data, correspondence, printed materials, and literature relating to Marks's professional activities.
Series 1: The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC), 1940s-1970s -- This series includes reports, correspondence, and documents related to Dr. Marks's trip to Japan as part of the ABCC.
Series 2: The Conference and Symposia files, 1970s-1980s -- This series contains correspondence, programs, meeting notes, and papers from the conferences, symposia, and courses attended by Dr. Marks. These include the Heath Physics Society annual meeting, the National Council on Radiation, Department of Energy meetings and workshops, and the American College of Nuclear Medicine.
Series 3: The Hanford Mortality Study, 1970s-1980 -- This series documents Dr. Marks's deep involvement in the controversy that erupted over the study, primarily conducted by Dr. Thomas F. Mancuso. Dr. Mancuso was an epidemiologist contracted by the AEC in 1965 to study the long-term effects of low dose radiation exposure in nuclear bomb workers. In the mid-1970s, Mancuso's contract with the AEC was terminated. His termination led to much controversy within the nuclear community, among radiation scholars, and in popular press. Dr. Marks was Mancuso's AEC supervisor and took over the study after Mancuso was fired. The collection includes correspondence, Congressional testimony, drafts of the study, documentation of related research, and much of the literature surrounding the controversy and results of the Hanford Mortality Study.
Series 4: The Assurance Program for Remedial Action Project (APRA), 1980 -- This series includes a description of the project, correspondence, and reports. Marks served as one of the principal investigators for this project. Conducted at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Battelle Memorial Institute, the purpose of this project was to provide technical support and assistance to the Department of Energy's Office of Operation Safety in implementing its Assurance Program for Remedial Action. Marks and his associates provided review, technical support and advice to the Operational Safety staff in developing the procedural and technical content of the APRA, including Quality Assurance reviews and appraisals, radiological dose criteria evaluations and recommendations, and risk assessment reviews and appraisals.
Series 5: Subject files, 1960-1980s -- Much of the material in the Subject Files series consists of literature dedicated to Dr. Marks's professional interest in the health effects of long term low dose radiation exposure both natural and manmade and the controversies surrounding this highly debated issue.
The collection is arranged in 5 series reflecting Sidney Marks's original order.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions apply.
[Item Description]
Sidney Marks Papers, 1946-1988
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections,
Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The Sidney Marks papers were donated to the Washington State University libraries in 2006 by Ronald Kathren as part of the Herbert M. Parker Special Library Collections (MS 2006-07).
This collection was processed by Lee Ann Powell in 2011.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Marks, Sidney -- Archives
Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission.
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Scientists -- Archives.
Radiation -- Health aspects -- Research.
Radiation -- Dosage -- Research.
Radiation carcinogenesis -- Research.
Science
Series 1: Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission,
1940s-1970s
1
1
Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, 1961
and 1962
1
2
Program Review, 1962
1
3
History of Commission Development, 1963
and 1967
1
4
Report on Future of the
Commission
1
5
Miscellaneous correspondence,
1959-1968
1
6-7
Research and Register Protocols,
1964-1973
1
8
Administrative Flow Chart,
1968
1
9
Commission Reorganization,
1968-1975
1
10
National Academy of Sciences Review of
Commission, 1975
1
11-12
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports,
1950-1955
2
13-16
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports,
1950-1955
2
17-18
Annual Reports, 1968-1972
3
19-20
Annual Reports, 1968-1972
3
21
Manhattan Engineer District (report on
atomic bombings), undated
3
22
Report on Hiroshima bombing,
undated
3
23
Casualties and Damages Report (atomic
bombings), 1952
3
24
Atomic Energy Commission Reports on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki (bombing affects), 1963 and 1966
3
25
ABCC Technical Reports (health of atomic
bomb survivors), 1954, 1964, 1976-1978, 1982
3
26
Naval Reports (Marshall Island and
Nagasaki skin burn victims; and yield of Hiroshima weapon), 1955 and
1965
4
27-28
Civil Defense Report (analysis of Japanese
casualty data), 1966
4
29
Atomic Bomb Survivors in the United States
(correspondence and press clippings), 1972 and 1974
4
30
Bibliography of Publications Concerning
Effect of Nuclear Explosions, 1960 and 1961
4
31
Comparison of Skeletal Maturation with
Dental Status in Children (article manuscript copy), 1953
4
32
Darling, George (correspondence),
1969-1972
4
33
Declassified documents on the effects of
the Atomic Bombs in Japan (report), 1965
4
34
Delayed Consequences of Exposure to
Ionizing Radiation (symposium articles), 1971
4
35
Division of Biology and Medicine
(correspondence), 1962-1972
4
36
Dunham, Charles (correspondence), 1962 and
1970
4
37
Epidemiology of Lung Cancer (article
manuscript copy), 1974
4
38
Goldstein, Joseph (International Congress
of Radiology trip report), 1969
4
39-40
Health and Atomic Bomb Survivors (reports
and studies), 1962-1986 and undated
5
41
Hiroshima University (bibliography of
research papers by science faculty), 1985
5
42
Hole, David (correspondence),
1986
5
43
Impact of Atomic Energy Industry on
Community Health (report), 1955
5
44
Japan Trip (trip report by John B.
Storer), 1968
5
45
Japan Trip (trip report by R.L. Hays),
1971
5
46
Japan Trip (schedule, Marks meeting notes,
ticket stubs, receipts, reports, press clipping), 1975
5
47
Japanese press (English translations of
atomic bomb related articles), 1960
5
48-49
Japan Science Promotion Society (report),
1953
5
50
Kyogikai for the Adult Health Study
(meeting minuets), 1963
5
51
Kyoto University (brochure),
1956
5
52
Radiation Effects Research Foundation
(report on cancer mortality in bomb survivors and newsletters), 1982 and
1985
5
53
Royal Society of London Explosive Yields
at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (report), 1970
5
54
Typical Japanese dwelling (specifications
and design blueprints), 1956
5
55
Marshall Islands (correspondence and press
clippings), 1974
5
56
National Academy of Sciences (budget and
correspondence), 1970 and 1972
5
57
Problems of Measurement of Aging in the
Human Population (report), 1972
6
58
Radioactive Dust from Nuclear Detonation
(report), 1954
6
59-62
U.S. Strategic Bomb Survey of Physical
Damages (report), 1946
6
63-64
U.S. Strategic Bomb Survey Heath and
Medical Services and Japanese Wartime Standard of Living (reports),
1947
Series 2: Conference and Symposia Files,
1970s-1980s
6
65
Human genetics course materials
(University of Washington), 1976
6
66
Conference on radiation associated thyroid
carcinoma (program), 1976
6
67
Department of Energy meeting and workshop
on oil shale (press clipping, registration list, and introductory
comments by Marks), 1977
6
68-69
Symposium on the late biological effects
of ionizing radiation (program, correspondence, report 1978
7
70
Heath Physics Society annual meeting
(newsletters, programs, abstracts, and notes), 1976 and 1978
7
71
Department of Energy statistical symposium
(program), 1980
7
72
Radon Specialists meeting (notes,
abstracts, and correspondence), 1980
7
73
Hazards to the fetus course materials
(University of Washington), 1980
7
74
American College of Nuclear Medicine
annual meeting (program, abstracts, and correspondence),
1980
7
75
Department of Energy health and mortality
studies review meeting (agenda), 1980
7
76
Environ Metrics symposium (program and
correspondence), 1981 and 1982
7
77
Radiation hazards in mining meeting
(contact lists and notes), 1981
7
78
American Association for the Advancement
of Science annual meeting (program, correspondence, and notes), 1981 and
1982
7
79
International symposium on biomedical
effects of ozone (program), 1982
7
80
Department of Energy radiation
epidemiology contractors' workshop (correspondence and presentation),
1982
7
81-82
National Council on Radiation
(correspondence, reports, annual meeting programs),
1979-1988
8
83
National Council on Radiation
(continued)
Series 3: The Hanford Mortality Study,
1970s-1980
8
84
Argonne National Laboratory (mortality
study), 1959
8
85-89
Mancuso, Thomas F. (correspondence,
reports, testimony, presentations, article manuscript copies), 1965,
1970-1984
8
90
Project feasibility study,
1966
9
91-92
Retrospective and data acquisition report,
1969
9
93-98
Mancuso progress report (numbers 6, 7, 8,
9 and 10), 1970-1974
10
99-100
Mancuso progress reports (numbers 11 and
13), 1975 and 1977
10
101-102
Stewart, Alice (correspondence, reports,
and article manuscript copies), 1970-1978
10
103
Radiation protection standards,
1971
10
104
Sanders, Barkev S. (article manuscript
copies), 1971 and 1972
10
105
Medical Research Council (Robin H. Mole
correspondence), 1974-1982
10
106
Blot, William J. (letter to Marks),
1975
10
107-108
Gilbert, Ethel S. (article manuscript
copies), 1975-1985
11
109
National Radiological Protection Board
(correspondence, bulletins, press release), 1976-1985
11
110-111
Marks, Sidney (article manuscript copies,
project status report, press briefings, narrative of his involvement
with the project and the Mancuso controversy, and correspondence),
1976-1984
11
112
British Nuclear Fuels (Geoff B. Schofield
correspondence and obituary) 1976-1985
11
113
Milham, Samuel (article manuscript copy
and evaluation by Mancuso team), 1976
11
114
John Abbotts and the Public Interest
Research Group (letter from Battelle and requested documents),
1976
11
115-116
Press clippings 1976-1979, 1981, 1985, and
undated
11
117
Project history, 1977, 1983, and
undated
11
118
Anderson, Terrence (correspondence and
review of Mancuso), 1977 and 1979
11
119
Tamplin, Arthur (testimony before the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission), 1977
12
120
Brodsky, Allen (article manuscripts
copies, correspondence, and testimony before the House Sub-Committee on
Health and the Environment), 1977-1979, 1982
12
121
Mancuso report critiques, 1977 and
1978
12
122
Essays on nuclear power in the Northwest
by Evergreen State College students, 1978
12
123-124
The Windscale Inquiry Volumes 1 and 2
(British nuclear industry environment and health report),
1978
12
125
National Radiation Protection Board review
of Mancuso, 1978 and 1979
12
126
British Nuclear Fuels (Eddie Clough
correspondence and reports), 1978, 1979, 1982-1984
12
127
Atomic Energy Research Establishment (A.
Norman Stott correspondence), 1978
12
128
Leukemia and radiation (reports), 1978 and
1988
12
129
Canadian Mortality Study (reports and
correspondence), 1979, 1981, 1984
13
130-131
Canadian Mortality Study
(continued)
13
132-133
Advisory Committee (correspondence and
reports), 1980-1985
13
134
Culham Laboratory (William M. Lomer
correspondence), 1980 and 1986
13
135
United Kingdom Energy Authority
(correspondence and reports on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy
mortality study) 1980-1986
13
136
Federal Radiation Research Activities
House Subcommittee hearing testimony (Robert Alvarez, William Harpin,
George Hutchinson, and Seymour Jablon), 1982
13
137
Radiation and life expectancy, 1957, 1982,
1983
13
138
Presentations on radiation,
1983
13
139
Peer review, 1983
14
140
Energy-Related Health Research annual
report, 1983
14
141
Briefings and memoranda, 1984
14
142
Radiostrontium report, 1984
14
143
Three Mile Island (review of dose
estimates), 1984
14
144
Risk assessment briefing, 1985
14
145
Alvarez, Robert (Alvarez report and
comments by Marks), 1985 and 1986
14
146
British Nuclear Fuels Sellafield plant
(mortality study), 1982
14
147
Petersen, Gerald (correspondence),
1986
14
148
Epidemiology presentation,
1988
14
149
Human health studies presentation,
undated
14
150
Animal radiation studies (Marks and
others), undated
14
152
Atomic Industrial Forum critique of
Mancuso, undated
14
153-154
Mortality study literature (index,
abstracts, and articles resulting from or about the study),
1976-1982
15
155-156
Mortality study literature
(continued)
15
157
Slides and index 1976, 1980,
1982-1984
15
158
Miscellaneous, 1963 and
undated
Series 4: Assurance Program for Remedial
Action Project, 1980
15
159
Utah State Department of Health
(correspondence with Marks and others), 1979-1984
15
160
Project files (distribution lists, memos,
field task proposals and agreements, resumes, property reports,
literature bibliography), 1981-1984
15
161-164
Salt Lake City (radon screening results,
seasonal radon levels, remedial action priorities, floor plans and
maps), 1981, 1982, and undated
16
165-168
Salt Lake City (projected excess cancer
rates and health effects estimations for properties), 1983 and
undated
16
169
Uranium mines emission standards, 1982 and
1985
16
170
Durango (health effects estimation for
properties), 1983
16
171
Radon in mill tailings presentation,
1983
16
172
Description of procedures used in
estimating health effects, 1983
16
173
Estimation of daily food consumption
(letter and report), 1983 and 1984
16
174
Health effects of radon in mill tailings
(correspondence and literature related to Marks's review article),
1984
16
175
Uranium mill tailings and risk estimation
presentation, 1984
17
176
Risk assessment for remedial action,
1985
17
177
Indoor air quality research strategy,
1985
17
178
United Nations risk assessment of
radiation, 1986
17
179
Statistical methods for assessing
environmental carcinogens risk, undated
17
180
Uranium industry statistics and papers
(microfiche), 1976, 1977, 1983
Series 5: Subject Files,
1960-1980s
17
181
Andreas, George (correspondence),
1982
17
182
Brazilian regions of high natural
radioactivity (article manuscript copies), 1963
17
183
Bertell, Rosalie (article manuscript
copy), 1976-1978, and 1985
17
184
Bertell and Bross (correspondence),
1972-1976
17
185
Biomedical and environmental research
chronology, 1973
17
186
Bross, Irwin D.J. (article manuscript
copy), 1976
17
187-188
Canada (health studies of uranium miners
and atomic workers), 1983-1985, and 1987
17
189
Colorado Energy Research Institute
(letter), 1983
18
190
Energy production (comparative risks
analysis), undated
18
191
Hanford (press clippings and photographs),
1979 and 1985
18
192
Fallout (map and literature), 1955 and
1968
18
193
General Electric (corporate research and
development), 1981
18
194
Glossary of radiation terms,
undated
18
195
India (natural high levels of radiation),
1956-1973 and undated
18
196
Indoor air quality (literature),
1987
18
197
Ionizing radiation (literature), 1956,
1961, and undated
18
198
Kathren, Ronald (radiation and health
physics presentation), 1986 and undated
18
199
Lilienfeld paper (Marks's notes),
undated
18
200
Los Alamos (AEC study of plutonium
workers), 1973
18
201
Low level radiation (literature), 1979,
1980, and undated
19
202
Lung dosimetry (literature), 1964-1985 and
undated
19
203
Lyon, J. Lyn (Marks review of leukemia
study), 1978 and 1979
19
204
Meyer, Mary (critique of paper),
1970
19
205
National Council on Radiation Protection
(comments on Federal Register), 1980
19
206
Natural radiation and health, (literature)
1979
19
207
New Mexico uranium miners (literature),
1978 and undated
19
208
Nonmalignant respiratory diseases in
miners (literature), undated
19
209
Niue Island (map, geological survey, and
correspondence) 1959
19
210
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
(newsletter), 1983
19
211
Pacific Northwest Laboratory
(correspondence and reports), 1982-1986
19
212
Pre-natal radiation (literature), 1973 and
1974
19
213
Press clippings (radiation and human
health), 1981-1986
19
214
Radiation health risks (literature), 1982,
1983, and 1984
19
215
Radon (conference papers, literature,
Germany, human health risk, inside dwellings, and miscellaneous),
1973-1988 and undated
20
216-224
Radon (continued)
20
225
Risk analysis and energy sources (speech,
literature, and presentation outline), 1979, 1984, 1985, and
undated
20
226
Risks associated with nuclear power
(National Academy of Science report), 1979
20
227
Shale oil (presentation outline),
undated
20
228
Sharpe, William (article manuscript
copies), undated
20
229
South Africa (lung cancer in miners), 1971
and 1980
20
230
Testicular function and radiation
(literature), 1974
20
231
Unidentified photograph [Marks and
others?], undated
20
232
United Nation Scientific Committee on
Effects of Radiation (reports), 1977-1981
20
233-234
Uranium miners and radiation (literature)
1969, 1978, 1984
20
253
Uranium miner regression study,
1976