IMMUNIZATION OF KEY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AGAINST BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (BW) AGENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001000120039-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: September 21, 1953
• Content Type: MF

SECR
Approved For Release 006/02/10: CIA-RDP8 01676R00 Q.?,93,%8
21 September 1953
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Director of Central Intelligence
THROUGH : Deputy Director, Intelligence
SUBJECT : Immunization of Key Government Officials Against.
Biological Warfare (BW) Agents
1. Attached as Tab A is a letter from the Chairman, Inter-
departmental Committee on Internal Security (ICIS) which:
as Indicates that the ICIS has asked the Department
of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Federal Civil
Defense Administration to assume the continuing responsi-
bility of advising the President and the Cabinet on the
desirability of immunizing key government officials against
BW agents in the event of a threatened BW attack against
the United States. (The list of key officials includes
the DCI nand Principal Assistants.')
b. Requests that CIA establish close liaison with the
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Federal
Civil Defense Administration for the purpose of keeping
these agencies fully informed of intelligence on Soviet
capabilities and intentions for employing BW against this
country,
2. It is recommended that you approve the request of the ICIS
and sign the attached letters to the Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare (Tab B), the Federal Civil Defense Administration (Tab C)
and the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security (Tab D).
Acting Assistant Director
for Scientific Intelligence
Attachments (3)
NSC review(s) completed.
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2006/02/10 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R00100012003 8,
%1W -MO X ~i4,
SECRET
 Approved For Release 2006/02/10: ClA-RDP80B01676RO01000120039-8
,3n terbrVartntcntat (Ionuui#ee an lnternal ,CIS-Y-5/lo"
Q2.
2212 Department of Justice, Xasiiingtou 25, P.
September 8, 1953
Honorable Allen W. Dulles
Director, Central Intelligence Agency
Washington 25, D. C.
My dear Mr. Dulles:
At its meeting of August 25, 1953, the Interdepartmental Cow ttee
on Internal Security considered the report of its Subcommittee on
Defense Against Unconventional Attack, entitled "Protection of key
government officials against biological warfare agents by im.unizaafion."
It was recommended to the ICIS that the following key government
officials be immunized against smallpox, tetanus, typhoid and parat yphc'iA
A and B:
President and Principal White House Assistants
Vice President
Speaker of the House
Cabinet Officers and their Principal Assistants
Director, Office of Defense Mobilization and Principal Aesiste.nts
Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service and.
Principal Assistants
Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Principal Assistants
Director, Central Intelligence Agency and Principal Assistants
Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Principal Assistants
Administrator, Federal Civil Defense Administration and
Principal Assistants
f
It is the view of the ICIS that the Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare and the Federal Cfvtl Defense Administration should jointly
(1) review current information on Wssible BW agent developments in this
country and abroad to determine the nature of BW agents that night be
employed against key government officials and the likelihood that such
agents would be so employed, and (2) when suc}i review indicates a need
therefor, recommend to the President and Cabinet., such immunization of
key government officials as may be required for protection against the
threat.
The representatives of the-Department of-Health,-F1ucatioa, and
Welfare who attended the ICIS meeting indicated that-the Surgeon General
does not believe that his Department has sufficient access to foreign
intelligence information to enable it adequately to appraise the-risk
of BW attack.
Approved For Release 2006102/10 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001000120039-8
 Approved For Release 200'/02/1;Q~. CI PDI 80B01676R001000120039-8
Accordingly, it is requested that your agency establish close
liaison with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the
Federal Civil Defense Administration in order that those agencies may
be fully informed of intelligence indicating a BW attack upon this
country and will be in a position to advise the President and the Cabinet
with regard to the advisability of implementing the above recomendavion.
Your acceptance of this responsibility and cooperation in this
matter would be appreciated.
Sincerely yours,
a
Thomas Aonegan
Chairman, Interdepartmental Committee
on Internal Security
Approved For Release, 2006/02/10,-: -CIA-RDP80 BO 1676 R001000120039-8
-MW - 2
 Approved For Release 2006/02/10 : CIA-RDP80B01676RO01000120039-8
'SECRET
25X1
SEP 2 5 190
- 1 - JW/SI g- ty Director, Intel, J ige .-e
si
CSI/JBR:kpr (21 September 1953)
2 !_CKt_
Approved For Release 2006/02/10 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R001000120039-8
1W -40
et SW eel4j 096peftuaft am 01.8:
SINfD
1 - DD/I Robert Amory-, Jr.
Distributions
trig & 1 - forward
2-IOCI"
25X1