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URMC / Libraries / Edward G. Miner Library / Rare Books and Manuscripts / Archives and Manuscripts / Faculty Collections / Joe Wiseman Howland, Ph.D.
 

Joe Wiseman Howland, Ph.D.

Introduction

Joe Wiseman Howland (1908-1978) was Professor of Radiation Biology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry from 1947 to 1965, and was a pioneer researcher in radiation toxicity, health and safety. His papers include the administrative and research records of the Atomic Energy Project's Medical Division from 1954 to 1962; documents pertaining to the Division's health & safety activities; and a large collection of personal papers (mostly correspondence). The Howland Papers were presented to the Edward G. Miner Library in 1981 by his widow, Hazel Howland. Processing of the collection was completed on 1 March 1986. The collection is contained in sixteen boxes and occupies 8.5 linear feet.

Biographical Data

Joe Wiseman HowlandJoe Wiseman Howland was born in Plain City, Ohio on December 21, 1908. He received his undergraduate degree from Denison University (Granville, Ohio) in 1928. In 1929 he received his M.Sc. in zoology from Ohio State University, and in 1931 a Ph.D. in zoology from the same institution.

During the 1931/32 academic year he was an Instructor in Biology at St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY), returning to Ohio State in 1932/33 as an Honorary Fellow. In 1933/34 he was enrolled as a first year medical student at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry. In 1935/36 he was a Student Fellow in Pathology, and took his medical degree in 1938 aged thirty.

With the exception of the war years, JWH remained in Rochester until his resignation from the University in 1965. He interned at Strong Memorial Hospital in 1938/39; served as an Assistant in Medicine and Assistant Resident Physician in 1939; and was chosen Edith H. Gleason Fellow in Medicine in 1940. In 1941 he was appointed Instructor in Medicine at the Medical School and Resident Physician in Charge of the Medical Outpatient Department.

From 1944 to 1947 JWH was on leave with the Armed Forces. In 1944 he was invited to join the Manhattan Project of the Corps of Engineers, which had recently begun development of a fission bomb. JWH initially served as medical officer in charge of special problems-a situation which allowed him the opportunity to become one of the earliest authorities on the medical effects of radiation exposure. During this period he designed toxicity experiments and established occupational standards and emergency procedures.

In 1945 he was sent to Oak Ridge, Tennessee as Assistant Chief of Medical Research for the Manhattan Project, where he correlated information from the Project's various laboratories and work sites. The same year JWH organized the parties that went to Japan to analyze the effects of radiation poisoning, later serving as chief internist-pathologist to the Nagasaki group. They were the first Americans to investigate the effects of radiation on the casualties at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After two months this group was replaced by the U.S. Army team led by Stafford Warren which later became the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission.

In 1946 JWH was appointed Chief of Medical Research for the Manhattan District during its transition into the Atomic Energy Commission. He was discharged from the military in 1947 with the rank of major, but remained a consultant with the AEC.

JWH decided to return to Rochester "convinced that there was a future in atomic medicine," and advanced to the rank of Professor of Radiation Biology and Chief of the Medical Division of the Atomic Energy Project at the Medical School.

As Chief of the AEP's Medical Division from 1947 to the mid-1960s, JWH supervised the health & safety activities of the AEP; and directed and conducted research into the pathologic physiology of exposure to ionizing irradiation, the dosimetry of radiation exposure, the effects of micro-wave irradiation, standards for radiation protection and the medical aspects of civil defense.

Under JWH's direction the University of Rochester was the first university to be licensed by the AEC to use radioisotopes in clinical procedures at hospitals. The University of Rochester Isotope Center organized and conducted teaching, diagnostic and therapy programs using radioisotopes at hospitals across central and western New York State.

In addition to his research and clinical activity at the Medical Center, JWH served as a consultant to such agencies as the Surgeon-General's Office, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, NASA, the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Office of Atomic & Space Development, etc.

JWH was the author of more than 100 articles. He also maintained a private medical practice. He was married and the father of four sons. Joe Wiseman Howland died at Chapel Hill, NC on October 12, 1978. He had moved there five years earlier after his appointment as Director of the North Carolina Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center at Butner, NC.

The Papers

The Joe Wiseman Howland Papers are divided into four subgroups:

  • Atomic Energy Project (AEP)
  • Atomic Energy Project (Medical Division)
  • Health & Safety
  • Howland (personal papers)

The bulk of these materials cover the period 1954 to 1962. They are interesting not only from the point of view of early research in radiation toxicity, but as a portrait of the operation of a medical department at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry at mid-century.

The first subgroup consists of the AEP's "Proposals for Research, Services & Education Operations" (issued annually between 1952 and 1965) and a nearly complete series of the AEP's Quarterly Review (1952-1962). [3 boxes, 1.5 linear feet]

The AEP (Med. Div.) subgroup follows closely the original order of the Division's records, and consists of administrative records (finance, personnel, equipment, etc.); research correspondence and reports; and records of the Division's educational activities. [6 boxes, 3 linear feet]

The HEALTH & SAFETY subgroup includes records describing the Division's activities regarding occupational safety of AEP employees; Dr. Howland's activities as a consultant on radiation exposure, occupational safety and civil defense with various state and federal agencies, etc. The correspondence pertaining to the University of Rochester Isotope Program is also included in this subgroup. [2 boxes, 1.5 linear feet]

Materials comprising the HOWLAND (personal) subgroup were so arranged in Dr. Howland's original files. They include correspondence of a truly personal nature as well as correspondence with colleagues which did not fit into any of the other subgroup correspondence series. This includes correspondence pertaining to membership in professional societies, participation at meetings, lectures, etc. JWH's correspondence regarding his private patients is also arranged in this subgroup. Patient correspondence is closed to researchers until the year 2000. [5 boxes, 4 linear feet]

Papers pertaining to JWH's work in Japan in 1946 are not present in the collection. According to a letter written by JWH to John Bonner dated 1/15/58, all JWH's Japan files were in the possession of Stafford L. Warren.* There are two folders of photographs from the Japan expedition among the personal papers, however.

Container List

Box One

  • University of Rochester. Atomic Energy Project (AEP). Proposals for Research, Service & Education Operations, 1952/53 - 1955/56
     

Box Two

  • University of Rochester. Atomic Energy Project (AEP). Proposals for Research, Service & Education Operations, 1956/57 - 1964/65
     

Box Three

  • Folder 1: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1952
  • Folder 2: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1953
  • Folder 3: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1954
  • Folder 4: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1956
  • Folder 5: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1957
  • Folder 6: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1958
  • Folder 7: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1959
  • Folder 8: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1960
  • Folder 9: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1961
  • Folder 10: AEP. Quarterly Review, 1962
     

Box Four

  • Folder 1: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Correspondence Register, 12/6/49 - 7/2/51.
  • Folder 2: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Organization, Policies.
  • Folder 3: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Misc. Memoranda.
  • Folder 4: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Security
  • Folder 5: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Travel (Howland).
  • Folder 6: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Shop, Maintenance.
  • Folder 7: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Physical Space.
  • Folder 8: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Financial.
  • Folder 9: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Visitors.
  • Folder 10: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Personnel - Policies, Memoranda, etc.. 1953 - 1956.
  • Folder 11: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Personnel - Policies, Memoranda, etc.. 1957 - 1962.
  • Folder 12: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Personnel - "The Atomizer"
     

Box Five

  • Folder 1: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Personnel, A - I.
  • Folder 2: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Personnel, J - S.
  • Folder 3: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Personnel, T - W.
  • Folder 4: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Equipment. Correspondence & Memoranda. 1955 - 1958.
  • Folder 5: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Equipment. Correspondence & Memoranda. 1959 - 1960.
  • Folder 6: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Equipment. Correspondence & Memoranda. 1961.
  • Folder 7: AEP (Med. Div.). Administration. Equipment. Correspondence & Memoranda. 1962.
  • Folder 8: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, 1954.
  • Folder 9: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, January - June 1955.
  • Folder 10: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, August - December 1955.
  • Folder 11: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, 1956.
  • Folder 12: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, January - March 1957.
  • Folder 13: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, April - December 1957.
  • Folder 14: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, 1958.
     

Box Six

  • Folder 1: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, 1959.
  • Folder 2: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence,
  • January - September 1960.
  • Folder 3: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence,
  • October - December 1960.
  • Folder 4: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, January - June 1961.
  • Folder 5: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, August - December 1961.
  • Folder 6: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. General Correspondence, 1962.
  • Folder 7: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Photographs (from Thos. B. Watt).
  • Folder 8: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Contracts. 1958 - 1962.
  • Folder 9: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program, Monthly Financial Reports. July 1958 - March 1960.
  • Folder 10: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Correspondence, 6/21/57 - 12/31/58.
  • Folder 11: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Correspondence, 1959.
  • Folder 12: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Correspondence, 1960.
  • Folder 13: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Correspondence, 1961.
  • Folder 14: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Correspondence, 1962.
     

Box Seven

  • Folder 1: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Correspondence, 2/4/63 - 6/19/73.
  • Folder 2: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, 1958.
  • Folder 3: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, 1959.
  • Folder 4: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, 1960.
  • Folder 5: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, 1961.
  • Folder 6: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, 1962.
  • Folder 7: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, 1963.
  • Folder 8: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reports, Post-1963.
  • Folder 9: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Final Report: "Biologic Effects of Microwave Exposure."
  • Folder 10: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Photographs.
  • Folder 11: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Microwave Program. Reprints.
  • Folder 12: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Reports. "Studies on Factors Effecting the Radiation Syndrome. I. The Effect of Aureomycin and Antibiotics on Whole Body Irradiation." 10/14/49.
  • Folder 13: AEP (Med. Div.). Research. Reports, 1953 - 1955.
  • Folder 14: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1956.
     

Box Eight

  • Folder 1: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1957.
  • Folder 2: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1958.
  • Folder 3: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1959.
  • Folder 4: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1960.
  • Folder 5: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1961.
  • Folder 6: AEP (Med. Div.). Research, Reports, 1962.
  • Folder 7: AEP (Med. Div.). Education, Radiation Biology Courses.
  • Folder 8: AEP (Med. Div.). Education, Radiation Biology Seminars.
  • Folder 9: AEP (Med. Div.). Education, Radiation Biology Fellowships.
  • Folder 10: AEP (Med. Div.). Education, Radiation Biology Graduate Students.
  • Folder 11: AEP (Med. Div.). Education, General Correspondence.
  • Folder 12: AEP (Med. Div.). Education, Animal Technician Training Program.
  • Folder 13: Health & Safety. University of Rochester. Standing Committee on Radiation Safety. "University of Rochester Radiation Safety Manual. Revised Edition 1962."
  • Folder 14: Health & Safety. University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Isotope Committee, 2/16/54 - 9/13/60.
     

Box Nine

  • Folder 1: Health & Safety. AEP (Med. Div.). General Correspondence,9/27/56 - 10/18/62.
  • Folder 2: Health & Safety. AEP, Radiation Exposure Correspondence & Memoranda,10/15/56 - 8/2/62.
  • Folder 3: Health & Safety. AEP, Waste Disposal - Memoranda,1/13/56 - 2/15/61.
  • Folder 4: Health & Safety. AEP Safety Committee, 1/18/56 - 2/11/58.
  • Folder 5: Health & Safety. City of New York, Commissioner of Health."Title IV: Environmental Sanitation, Part 4. Article 213:Control of Radiological Hazards." 10/19/56 - 8/14/57.
  • Folder 6: Health & Safety. New York State Atomic Energy Advisory Committee, Minutes & Reports, 7/7/56 - 1/2/59.
  • Folder 7: Health & Safety. New York State Atomic Energy Advisory Committee, Correspondence, 1/12/57 - 11/23/60.
  • Folder 8: Health & Safety. New York State Department of Commerce.Industrial Code Rule No. 38.
  • Folder 9: Health & Safety. New York State Department of Health.
  • Folder 10: Health & Safety. New York State Office of Atomic Development. Correspondence, 3/29/60 - 11/13/62.
  • Folder 11: Health & Safety. New York State Bar Association.Committee on Atomic Energy.
  • Folder 12: Health & Safety. United States Army Environmental Hygiene Agency. Conference on Emergency Radiation Exposure at Nuclear Reactors. February 27-28, 1961.
  • Folder 13: Health & Safety. Accidents - Correspondence, 2/19/59 - 3/15/72.
  • Folder 14: Health & Safety. Atomic Industrial Forum, Minutes. Reports & Correspondence, 2/1/56 - 7/3/57.
     

Box Ten

  • Folder 1: Health & Safety. Atomic Industrial Forum, Minutes. Reports & Correspondence, 7/12/57 - 7/14/58.
  • Folder 2: Health & Safety. Atomic Industrial Forum, Minutes. Reports & Correspondence, 8/1/58 - 7/18/60.
  • Folder 3: Health & Safety. Atomic Industrial Forum, Minutes. Reports & Correspondence, 8/2/60 - 6/30/61.
  • Folder 4: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, AEC Licensure, 1957 - 1962.
  • Folder 5: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, "Preparation of Isotope Distribution Center at University of Rochester"
  • Folder 6: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Committee on Human Application of Radioisotopes, 1/5/54 - 8/1/62.
  • Folder 7: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, General Correspondence, 1/6/54 - 9/29/59.
  • Folder 8: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Correspondence, 2/26/54 - 3/5/57.
  • Folder 9: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Arnot-Ogden Hospital (Elmira, NY), 1954.
  • Folder 10: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Deaconess Hospital (Buffalo, NY), 1954 - 1957.
  • Folder 11: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Genesee Hospital (Rochester, NY), 1954 - 1962.
  • Folder 12: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Genesee Memorial Hospital Association (Batavia, NY), 1954 - 1957.
  • Folder 13: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Geneva General Hospital (Geneva, NY), 1956.
  • Folder 14: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Memorial Center (Buffalo, NY), 1958 - 1962.
  • Folder 15: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Millard Fillmore Hospital (Buffalo, NY), 1954 - 1961.
  • Folder 16: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Mount St. Mary's Hospital (Niagara Falls, NY), 1955 - 1962.
  • Folder 17: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Newark Medical Center (Newark, NY), 1956 - 1957.
  • Folder 18: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, St. Luke's Memorial Hospital Center (Utica, NY), 1954 - 1958.
  • Folder 19: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, St. Mary's Hospital (Rochester, NY), 1954 - 1959.
  • Folder 20: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Slocum-Dickson Medical Group (Utica, NY), 1954 - 1962.
  • Folder 21: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Strong Memorial Hospital (Rochester, NY), 1955 - 1958.
  • Folder 22: Health & Safety. Clinical Isotope Program, Miscellaneous.
     

Box Eleven

  • Folder 1: Health & Safety. Lockport Incident, Reports.
  • Folder 2: Health & Safety. Lockport Incident, Correspondence.
  • Folder 3: Health & Safety. Lockport Incident, Partial Ms. and Original Photographs to "The Lockport Incident." IN: Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Radiation Injury. Geneva. WHO. 1961, pp. 11-26.
  • Folder 4: Howland. Curriculum Vitae, Autobiographical Notes.
  • Folder 5: Howland. Photographs - Persons, Groups.
  • Folder 6: Howland. Photographs - Japan, 1945.
  • Folder 7: Howland. Photographs - Japan, 1945 - 1947.
  • Folder 8: Howland. Correspondence, 1954.
  • Folder 9: Howland. Correspondence, 1955. (A - F).
  • Folder 10: Howland. Correspondence, 1955. (G - W).
  • Folder 11: Howland. Correspondence, 1956.
  • Folder 12: Howland. Correspondence, 1957.
  • Folder 13: Howland. Correspondence, 1958.
  • Folder 14: Howland. Correspondence, 1959.
     

Box Twelve

  • Folder 1: Howland. Correspondence, 1960.
  • Folder 2: Howland. Correspondence, 1961. (A - L).
  • Folder 3: Howland. Correspondence, 1961. (M - W).
  • Folder 4: Howland. Correspondence, 1962.
  • Folder 5: Howland. Correspondence, 1965 - 1973.
  • Folder 6: Howland. Correspondence, Defense Atomic Support Agency. 1965.
  • Folder 7: Howland. Correspondence, Committee on Admissions. 1959 - 1960.
  • Folder 8: Howland. Correspondence, Letters of Recommendation. (A - M).
  • Folder 9: Howland. Correspondence, Letters of Recommendation. (N - W).
  • Folder 10: Howland. Correspondence, Thyroid. 1966 - 1972.
  • Folder 11: Howland. Correspondence, Thermography. 1971 - 1972.
  • Folder 12: Howland. Societies: Am. Assoc. Advanc. Sci. - Am. Physiol. Soc.
  • Folder 13: Howland. Societies: Am. Standards Assoc. - Med. Soc. State Of N.Y.
  • Folder 14: Howland. Societies: Nat. Acad. Sci. - N.Y. State Soc. Med. Res.
     

Box Thirteen

  • Folder 1: Howland. Societies: Radiation Res. Soc.
  • Folder 2: Howland. Societies: Sigma Xi - Soc. Nuclear Med.
  • Folder 3: Howland. Meetings, 1959.
  • Folder 4: Howland. Meetings, 1960.
  • Folder 5: Howland. Meetings, 1961.
  • Folder 6: Howland. Meetings. 1962.
  • Folder 7: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1956.
  • Folder 8: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1957.
  • Folder 9: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1958.
  • Folder 10: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1959.
  • Folder 11: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1960.
  • Folder 12: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1961.
  • Folder 13: Howland. Lectures - Correspondence, 1962.
     

Box Fourteen

  • Folder 1: Howland. Lectures - Manuscripts.
  • Folder 2: Howland. Lectures - Manuscripts.
  • Folder 3: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1954.
  • Folder 4: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1955.
  • Folder 5: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1956.
  • Folder 6: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1957.
  • Folder 7: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1958.
  • Folder 8: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1959 - 1960.
  • Folder 9: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1961.
  • Folder 10: Howland. Patients - Correspondence, 1962.
     

Box Fifteen

  • "Plasma Protein Regeneration as Influenced Infection, Diet and Digestive Disturbances" (Typescript of Thesis, M.D. , Rochester, 1938).
     

Box Sixteen

  • Diplomas, Certificates, Awards.

 

Box Seventeen

  • Folder 1: Aerial views of Nagasaki
  • Folder 2: Damage & radiation maps
  • Folder 3: Nagasaki cityscapes postblast
  • Folder 4: Nagasaki cityscapes postblast
  • Folder 5: Views of buildings destroyed
  • Folder 6: Views of buildings destroyed
  • Folder 7: Views of buildings destroyed
  • Folder 8: Human remains in situ
  • Folder 9: Radiation burns and sickness
  • Folder 10: Radiation burns and sickness
  • Folder 11: Rural scenes (pre-war?)