1 15 2 https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/252560d2f96615aedef84b0d2d86d088.pdf f39caa3a4fda966f6b7e7d82bf31410b PDF Text Text Item ID Number 01858 Author McKinley, Thomas W. Corporate Author Georgia Department of Human Resources ROpOTt/ArtlGto HUB Geor 9'a Agent Orange Survey of Vietnam Veterans: Summary Journal/Book Title Year 1983 Month/Day Ju| Color Number of Images v || : 11 Descrlpton Notes Wednesday, July 11, 2001 Page 1859 of 1870 �v.v$? --•••£•*'* Georgia Survey of Vietnam Veterans -"'&:.: • IT: &* ;•«?» •SSfei 4^ •S" s^si^s stA^ �SUMMARY Published by GEORGIA DEPARTMENT James G. Ledbetter, PhD, Commissioner 47 Trinity Avenu® , S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30334 JULY 1983 Prepared by Thomas W. McKintey, MPH Epidemiologist th& Direction of R. Keith Sikes, DVM, MPH Director, Office of Epidemiology James W. Alley, MD, MPH Director, Division of Public Health �flCKNQWLEDGEMENTS The Office of Epidemiology expresses grateful appreciation for the suggestions and guidance provided by the following persons who comprised an ad hoc fldvisory Committee for the Georgia ftgent Orange Study: Committee* Members Thomas W. McKinley, MPH (Chairman) Office of Epidemiology, DHR R. Keith Sikes, DVM, MPH Office of Epidemiology, DHR Douglas Huber, MD John Brady Nam Vets of Georgia •*» ^a. Dept. of Vet. Services D. S. Wilkerson Ga. D^nt. of Vet. Services Julian ft. Jarman, MD Decatur Vft Hor-p:'tal James R. Bishop Decatur VO Hosoitai Observers John D. Humphreys Division of Pub. Health,DHR Don Barrish Office of Community Inte*—Gov. Relations, and DHR �GEORGIA SURVEY The 198£ Georgia General ftssernbly passed House B i l l 1£00* entitled "Reports of Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange." ft sum of $67,525 was appropriated for the Department of Human Resources to conduct a questionnaire survey of Vietnam veterans exposed to flgent Orange during the Vietnam conflict. Recording to Veterans ndrr,inistrat ion (VO) estimates, approximately 58,008 Georgians Served in Vietnam. ft list of Vietnam veterans was not available from the Georgia Department of Veterans Services to use as a basis for the survey. Therefore, it was necess-ary to use registers of veterans who took the ficent Orange physical examination being offered by Vft hospitals and membership lists from organisations such as Nam Vets of Georgia. In addition, veterans were reached oy publicity campaigns and by placing posters, brochures. and Questionnaires in Georgia Department of Veterans Services Offices and other locations freauented by veterans throughout the state. firrancsments were also made with Ti.el.ine, the state telephone information and referral system, to allow Vietnam veterans to call toll free from anywhere in the state and request a questionnaire. ftpproximately £6, 030' questionnaires were distributed; 9.6% by direct mailing and 90.4% by placement in locations freauented by veterans. Participation was limited to Vietnam veterans residing in the state at the time of the survey. General objectives were to: 1. Obtain completed questionnaires by Marcn 31, 1383, from the largest possible number of veterans in Georgia who: (a) (b) currently reside in Georgia, (c) had known or presumed exposure to flgent Orange, and (d) £. served in Vietnam, period 196E-1974, Laos, or Cambodia during the have seen a physician for a health problem believed to be related to Agent Orange Exposure.' Verify medical histories given by veterans by querying physicians and/or hospitals identified on veteran questionnaires. *Sponsored by Representatives Eleanor L. Richardson, Joe T. Wood, Forest Hayes, Jr., Joe Frank Harris, and Paul S. Branch, Jr. �3. Analyse and summarize data from veterans, physicians, and hospitals. 4. Report findings to General flssembly. the 1384 session of the Georgia Results fls of June 30, 1983, quest ionnaires were received form 1905 veterans. These quest ionnaTres form the basis for a regTsTfry of~ Vietnam veterans in Georgia whose illnesses are allegedly due to flgent Orange exposure or who have health concerns about flgent Orange exposure. Of the total questionnaires received, 1£6S _ (67.6%) were e 1 i g i big for i >^gjLusjLon__i n the survey based on the abov"e~cr i t erTa". Questionnaires were received from 1£4 . o ^ f Georgia's 159« counties (Figure 1). " flpproxirnately 97% of the survey group were' males; 65"/« were white and 30"/. black. ftge ranged from £3-77 years; mean 39.4 years. Major findings of the survey are contained in the following statemants. Interpretation of these findings must take into consideration the fact that 1) the survey targeted veterans who had one or more health conditions which they believe to be related to flgent Orange exposure, £) a. subst ant_ial proport ion of Jnejalth conditions r^^£Il^JigL__by veterans^were not confirmed by 'thjnTr bhysi'cians^ and may have been reported on the basTsoTsUTf^ diagnosis, and 3) information regarding exposure to flgent Orange is totally dependent uoon recall of sometimes uncertain- events which occurred 10-15 years ago. 1. 1£88 Vietnam veterans in the State of Georgia reported having one or more health conditions which .they believe to be related to exposure to flgent Orange. Health conditions r_e_p_ortgd__ by more than half the veterans include s k in cond i t i ons (other than acne), emotional/adjustment problems, nervous system problems, and sleeplessness. £. Only 52?t of 'survey participants had taken Orange physical examination offered by Vfl. the flgent 3. fl substantial proportion of veterans (£9% during their first tour of duty) reported being sprayed with flgent Orange by aircraft. 4. Veterans reported 205 cases of acne with onset after service in Vietnam. Physicians confirmed £9 cases in 119 of these reports (£4. 4"/i), but there was no indication that the cases were chloracne (a specific type of acne caused by exposure to dioxin and other chlorinated biphenyls). .Vfl has acknowledged only two or three cases of chloracne in Georgia veterans. �5. Veterans who participated in Operation Ranch Hand (code name for the group who sprayed flgent Orange) reported a significantly higher prevalence of cancer, liver problems, respiratory problems, sexual dysfunction, and chronic pain than other veterans. 6. Veterans who remembered developing sorna type of illness within 43 hours of exposure to flgent Orange, reported a significantly higher prevalence of 12 of 30 medical conditions. 7. Veterans reported 99 cases of cancer, but physicians completing questionnaires on 47 of these confirmed only 13 (£1.3%). Theoretically, all Georgia Vietnam veterans (est. 58,000) could have participated in the survey if they have a health problem, including cancer, which they believe to be related to flgent Orange exposure. There are at least two ways to analyze the cancer data: (a) The first method of analysis involves a comparison of observed to expected cases. Using cancer surveillance data and assuming that the total population of Georgia Vietnam veterans has the same race, sex, and ace distribution as the survey group, Jbh_e expected number, ._._..Q.f_ cases i n . JLJlg_t ^!^gL'-!^QJ[li-ia ^ i'ietTvam^veFe'r an population _ - - . ^ 37 7. If the actual number of "cases ir\~t h e sorVey groTTp"" is 10^ this would only be three percent of the expected. If the actual number is 21, this would be six percent of expected. If the actual total is 99, this would be £3* of expected. (b) 0 second method of analysis consists of comparing the observed prevalence rate of living cancer cases in the survey group to the expected prevalence rate estimated for all Georgia Vietnam veterans. The expected prevalence rate of living cancer cases in the total population of Georgia Vietnam veterans was derived using cancer surveillance data arid the assumptions indicated in (a) above. If the actual number of cancer cases in the survey group is only 10, this would give a prevalence rate of 77S per 130,000 which is not significantly different from the expected prevalence rate of 613 per 100,000. If the actual number of cases is £1, the observed prevalence rate would be sigificantly higher than expected (p<.01; Chi-square test). However, these data must be interpreted with caution since the survey design tended to inflate the number of cases of illness in the survey group.. JJia—Sj^yjey^jdesigji,_ ijo_jHa.c_tJL__doGs not al low for a determination of whjstjier cancer rjat e s are higher i n~vTetnarn vc?tt?rans exposed to _ ~ unex posed popUIatjjgru This and similar determinations" "musTE await completion of the large population based study being conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. �8. Negative pregnancy outcomes reported by veterans were less than 6.5^ of the number expected for any negative pregnancy outcome among families of all 58,000 Georgia Vietnam veterans. Pregnancy outcomes were not confirmed by physician questionnaires or other means. 9, The rate of cancer, other than leukemia, for progeny of Vietnam veterans was not significantly different between those children born before and those born after the father's Vietnam service. Veterans reported two cases of leukemia in children born after Vietnam service, but meaningful comparisons were not possible since physician confirmation of these cases was not• obtained. 0 MORE DETAILED REPORT OF THE STUDY IS WftlLftBLE ON REQUEST �Figure STATE : .r>?st->:*zvfiv/ ^^^S iift," ^1 i *:'?i'5?!:''''"'>:''"1''';>'''"ViiJii;!!i>; CAL**OW* ! - «*<«.«» -' i /» v '-j '- ,•' /•,'--""/>" ' " vr«g^s;.sss.s«8;r' »«" ^^^^Ix ""*"' /; �RECOMMENDRTIONS This report completes the charge to conduct an flgent Orange survey which was given to the Department of Human Resources by the 1982 Georgia General assembly. The following recommendations are made as a result of that survey: 1. £. Consideration should be given to setting up an flgent Orange clearinghouse or phone center which would receive inquiries and complaints from veterans, dependents and others, and would transmit to interested persons information with resoect to flgent Orange or dioxin-related matters. •*• Veterans who have not taken.the Vfl flgent Orange physical examination should be encouraged to take the examination at the earliest time. 3. The list of veterans who indicated they participated in Operation Ranch Hand should be checked against military study records to determine whether all these veterans are enrol led in the Ranch Hand Study. 4. The Vfl should be asked to evaluate or re-evaluate, as the case may be, veterans whase physicians confirmed a diagnosis of acne after age 18 to determine whether they may have ch lor acne.. 5. figent Orange questionnaires, computer tapes' containing data on health conditions, and other pertinent files and records should be transferred to the Georgia Department of Veterans Service for safe keeping and possible use when results arc completed on the CDC epidemiologic study. S. Odditional studies regarding the question of Ogent Orange exposure and health of Vietnam veterans in Georgia should await the results of the CDC epideniiolog ical cohort study. �SUKMflRY OF HEflLTH EFFECTS OF DIOXIN EXPOSURE figent Orange consisted of an approximately equal mixture of two common herbicides, 2,4-D (£, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) and 2,4,5-T (2,4,S-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid). The latter herbicide contained a small amount (average 2 parts per million) of a chemical contaminant known as TCDD (2,3,7,8tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin), also commonly referred to as "dioxin." This contaminant, which is formed if the reaction temperature becomes too high during synthesis of 2,4,5-T, has been called the "most toxic man made substance known" because of its highly lethal effects on certain strains of guinea pigs. To date__t_here ^rg__np conclusive studies which causal 1 y link TCDjD_ or 'fl"ge_nt Q*"anJe_j!JiP-gj?ure with_j?xcessive mortality or long term health effects___i-Ki—huwajas...— Information on'TfeaTth effects comes almostentirely from animal studies, which are not directly predictive of effects in hurnans, and from human occupational exposures to herbicides and other chemicals contaminated with TCDD. What is known regarding health effects is briefly summarized in the following paragraphs. Persons exposed to high concentrations of TCDD by reason of occupation or industrial accident were commonly observed to develop a painful skin, condition called chloracne. This condition usually appeared within weeks to months following exposure and persisted for one to several years, depending on the severity of exposure. Other health effects have also been observed in severely exposed persons. For example, a condition known as porphyria cutanea tarda, which is characterized by large blisters of the skin and liver involvement, was reported among at least two groups of exposed workers. In addition, Swedish investigators have recently suggested that there may be a relationship between exposure to TCDD containing herbicides and a form of cancer known as soft tissue sarcoma. However, information to date is not sufficiently completed to establish a cause and effect relationship. Birth defects were reported among children born to south Vietnamese refugees who sought sanctuary in north Vietnam. Pi higher rate of birth defects was also reported among infants born to women whose husbands fought in south Vietnam compared to those born to women whose husbands stayed in north Vietnam. Results of these observations are in doubt, however, "due to methodological problems attendant with ascertainment of information in a war-torn area. Increased abortion rates were also reported among women living in the PUsea, Oregon area where 2,4,5-T had been used for forest management. fln EPPt study tended to confirm this report, but the EPft study was later found to have serious problems with incomplete ascertainment of data. �flnimal studies have shown that rabbits and monkeys develop chloracne when exposed to subacute doses of TCDD. Subacute exposure has also been shown to produce severe weight loss and porphyria (a disorder of hemoglobin metabolism) in certain animal species. Carcinogenicity testing of TCDD in rats and mice has yielded results that are difficult to interpret. Increases were observed in cancerous tumors but only at doses which produced other toxic effects. There was a general lack of both organ specificity and linear dose response usually observed with cancer causing agents. In one study a certain strain of mice fed combinations of TCDD and S,4,5-trichlorophenoxyethanol showed a significantly higher incidence of liver cancer than controls. These observations led investigators to hypothesize that'TCDD may be a tumor promoter rather than a primary carcinogen. However, —in actual trials in rats and mice, TCDD was not shown, to be a tumor promoter. In test systems which employed TCDD and a carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbon, TCDD was observed to inhibit tumor formation by inducing the production of enzymes which converted the polyarornatic hydrocarbons into non-cancer causing metabolites. In other animal studies, certain strains of pregnant mice showed fetatoxicity and birth defects in their offspring after TCDD exposure; however, exposed male mice were not shown to produce deformed offspring. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 069 Folder The folder containing the original item. 1858 Series The series number of the original item. Series III Subseries III Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource McKinley, Thomas W. Description An account of the resource <strong>Corporate Author: </strong>Georgia Department of Human Resources Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983-07-01 Title A name given to the resource Georgia Agent Orange Survey of Vietnam Veterans: Summary Subject The topic of the resource state-funded Vietnam veterans study questionnaire morbidity trends dioxin ao_seriesIII https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/files/original/d2e0a34b2f953296e7f80cb69ec351aa.pdf 27637dadb6d4fba08c81a26ecd2e3887 PDF Text Text Item D Number 05599 Author McKinley, Thomas W. Corporate Author D Not Georgia Department of Human Services Report/Article Tltb Summary, Georgia Agent Orange Survey of Vietnam Veterans Journal/Book Title Year 1983 Month/Day Ju| Color ^ Number of Images ° v Descriptor! Notes Tuesday, March 19, 2002 Page 5599 of 5611 �SUMMARY GEORGIA AGENT ORANGE SURVEY OF VIETNAM VETERANS Published by GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES James G. Ledbetter, PhD, Commissioner 47 Trinity Avenue , S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30334 JULY 1983 Prepared by Thomas W. McKinley, MPH Epidemiologist Under the Direction of R. Keith Sikes, DVM, MPH Director, Office of Epidemiology James W. Alley, MD, MPH Director, Division of Public Health �ftCKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Office of Epidemiology expresses grateful appreciation for the suggestions and guidance provided by the following persons who comprised an ad hoc Advisory Committee for the Georgia flgent Orange Study: Committee Members Thomas W. McKinley, MPH (Chairman) Office of Epidemiology, DHR R. Keith Sikes, DVM, MPH Office of Epidemiology, DHR Douglas Huber, MD Nam Vets of Georgia John Brady la. Dept. of Vet. Services D. S. Wilkerson Ga. Dent, of Vet. Services Julian ft. Jarman, MD Decatur Vfl Horr-p-tal James R, Bishop Decatur Vfl Hospital Observers John D. Humphreys Division of Pub. Health,DHR Don Barrish Office of Community Inter-Gov. Relations, and DHR �GEORGIfl SURVEY The 198S Georgia General ftssernbly passed House Bill 1£00* entitled "Reports of Veterans Exposed to floent Orange." 0 sum of $67,525 was aaprooriated for the Department of Human Resources to conduct a questionnaire survey of Vietnam veterans exposed to ; ftgent Orange during the Vietnam conflict. • *• Recording to Veterans administration (Vft) estimates, approximately 53, 008 Georgians Served in Vietnam. ft list of Vietnam veterans was not available from the Georgia Department of Veterans Services to use as a basis for the survey. Therefore, it was necess-ary to use registers of veterans who took the P.csnt Orange physical examination being offered by Vfi hospitals and membership lists from organizations such as Nam Vets of Georgia. In addition, veterans were reacr.ed oy publicity campaigns and by placing posters, brochures. and Questionnaires in Georgia Department of Veterans Services Offices and other locations freouented Dy veterans throughout the state. Arrangements wave also made with Ti.ei.ine, the state telephone information and referral system, to allow Vietnam veterans to call toll free from anywhere in the state and request a questionnaire. Approximately £6, i?03 questionnaires were distributed; 3, & / ay direct mailing '• and 90.4% by placement in locations frecuented by veterans. Participation was limited to Vietnam veterans residing in the state at the time of the survey. General objectives were to: 1. Obtain completed questionnaires by Marcn 31, 1383, from the largest possible number of veterans in Georgia who: (a) (b) currently reside in Georgia, (c) had known or presumed exposure to fluent Orange, and (d) £. served in Vietnam, period 19G£-1374, Laos, or Cambodia during the have seen a physician for a health problem believed to be related to ftgent Orange Exposure. Verify medical histories given by veterans by querying physicians and/or hospitals identified on quest ionnaires. *Sponsored by Representatives Eleanor L. Richardson, Joe T. Wood, Forest Hayes, Jr., Joe Frank Harris, and Paul S. Branch, Jr. �3. Analyze and summarize data from veterans, physicians, and hospitals. 4. Report findings to General Assembly. the 13S4 session of the Georgia Results fts of June 30, 1383, quej5tji.onnaires wege fecewed^ form JJ305^ veterans. These questionnaires form the ba*sis for a r e g i s try of"" vTeTnariT"~ veterans in Georgia whose illnesses are allegedly due to figent Orange exposure or who have health concerns about Rgent. Orange exposure. Of the total questionnaires received, _l£ea_ ( 7 6/.) were e l i g i b l e for inclusion in the survey based on the 6. abovl? criteria. , • Questionnaires were received from 1£4 .^of Georgia's 159. counties (Figure 1). * Approximately 97% of the survey group were males; &5% were white and 30% black. ftge ranged from £3-77 years; mean 39.4 years. Major findings of the survey are contained in the following statemants. Interpretation of these findings must take into consideration the fact that 1) the survey targeted veterans who had one or more health conditions which they believe to be related to Agent Orange exposure, £) a substantial proportion of he_alth conditions reported by vet erans were not con f i r rned by their physiciansand may have been reportedoritheBasis ofseTT^" diagnosis, and 3) information regarding exposure to Agent Orange is totally dependent uoon recall of sometimes uncertain- events which occurred 10-15 years ago. 1. l£8a Vietnam veterans in the State of Georgia reported having one or more health conditions which .they believe to be related to exposure to Agent Orange. Hea,lth conditions repOY'ted by more than half the veterans include skin conditions (other than acne), emotional/adjustment problems, nervous system problems, and sleeplessness. £. Only 52% of 'survey participants had taken Orange physical examination offered by Vft. the Ogent 3. 0 substantial proportion of veterans (£9% during their first tour of duty) reported being sprayed with Rgent Orange by aircraft. 4. Veterans reported £05 cases of acne with onset after service in Vietnam. Physicians confirmed £3 cases in 113 of these reports (£4.4%), but there was no indication that the cases were chloracne <a specific type of acne caused by exposure to dioxin and other chlorinated biphenyls). Vfl has acknowledged only two or three .cases of chloracne in Georgia veterans. �(code 5. Veterans who participated in Operation Ranch Hand a name for the group who sprayed flgent Orange) reported liver problems, significantly higher prevalence of cancer, respiratory problems, sexual dysfunction, and chronic pain than other veterans. 6. Veterans who remembered developing some'type of illness within 43 hours of exposure to flgent franca, reported a significantly higher prevalence of 12 of 30 medical conditions. 7. Veterans reported 99 cases of cancer, but physicians completing questionnaires on 47 of these confirmed only 10 (£1.3%). Theoretically, all Georgia Vietnam veterans (est. 58, 000) could have participated in the survey if they have a health problem, including cancer, which they believe to be related to flgent Orange exposure. There are at least two ways to analyse the cancer data: (a) The first method of analysis involves a comparison of observed to expected cases. Using cancer surveillance data and assuming that the total population of Georgia Vietnam veterans has the same race, sex, and age distribution as the survey group, the expected number of living cases in the total Georgia Vietnamveteran peculation .s 377. If the actual number of cases in the su rv e y group~ If is Ik^ t h i s would only be three percent of the expected. of the actual number is £1, this would be six percent If the actual total is 99, this would be £954 of expected. expected. (b) fl second method of analysis consists of comparing the observed prevalence rate of living cancer cases in the survey group to the expected prevalence rate estimated for all Georgia Vietnam veterans. The expected prevalence rate of living cancer cases in the total population of Georgia Vietnam veterans was derived using cancer surveillance data and the assumptions indicated in (a) above. If the actual number of cancer cases in the survey group is only 10, this would give a prevalence rate of 776 per 180, 000 which is not significantly different from the expected prevalence rate of 613 per 100,000. If the actual number of cases is £1, the observed prevalence rate would be sigificantly higher than expected (p<.01; Chi-square test). However, these data must be interpreted with caution since the survey design tended to inflate the number of cases of illness in the survey group. The survey design, in fac_t^_ does not allow for a determination of whether cancer rates are higher in Vietnam veterans exposed to flgent Orange than in a comparable" unexpoaed population. This arid similar determinations "mustawait completion of the large population based study being conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. �8 . Negative pregnancy outcomes reported by veterans were less than 6.5% of the number expected for any negative pregnancy outcome among families of all 58,000 Georgia Vietnam Veterans. Pregnancy outcomes were not confirmed by physician questionnaires or other means. 9. The rate of cancer, other than leukemia, for progeny of Vietnam veterans was not significantly different between those children born before and those born after thtte father's Vietnam service. Veterans reported two cases of leukemia in children born after Vietnam service, but meaningful comparisons were not possible since physician confirmation of these cases was not obtained. MORE DETAILED REPORT OF THE STUDY IS ftVOILRBLE ON REQUEST �Figure 1 COUNTIES FROM WHICH QUESTIONNAIRES WERE RECEIVED STATE Or GEORGIA �RECOMMENDATIONS This report completes the charge to conduct an flgent Orange survey which was given to the Department of Human Resources by the 1382 Georgia General flssembly. The following recommendations a're made as a result of that survey: ** 1. Consideration should be given to setting up an flgent Orange clearinghouse or phone center which would receive inquiries and complaints from veterans, dependents and others, and would transmit to interested persons information with respect to flgent Orange or dioxin-related matters. £. Veterans who have not taken the Vfl flgent Orange physical examination should be encouraged to take the examination at the earliest time. 3. The list of veterans who indicated^they participated in Operation Ranch Hand should be checked against military study records to determine whether all these veterans are enrolled in the Ranch Hand Study. A. The Vfl should be asked to evaluate or re-evaluate, as the case may be, veterans whose physicians confirmed a diagnosis of acne after age 18 to determine whether they may have chloracne. 5. flgent Orange questionnaires, computer tapes containing data on health conditions, and other pertinent files and records should be transferred to the Georgia Department of Veterans Service for safe keeping and possible use when results arc? completed on the CDC epiderniologic study. 6. fldditional studies regarding the question of flgent Orange exposure and health of Vietnam veterans in Georgia should await the results of the CDC epiderniological cohort study. �SUKMflRY OF HEftLTH*EFFECTS OF DIOXIN EXPOSURE figent Orange consisted of an approximately equal mixture of two common herbicides, 2, 4-D (^, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) and 2,4,5-T (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid). The latter herbicide contained a small amount (average 2 parts per million) of a chemical contaminant known ,as TCDD (£,3,7,8tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin), also corrfmoniy referred to as "dioxin." This contaminant, which is formed if the -reaction temperature becomes too high during synthesis of S,4,5-T, has been called the "most toxic man made substance known" because of its highly lethal effects on certain strains of guinea pigs. To date there are__np conclusive studies which causally 1 ink TCDD or flgent Orange^exposure witjT__gxcessive mortality or j^gmT term health eff^c_t^__-Lo_-h-Ufflaj^s^— Information on health effects comes almost entirely from animal studies, which are not directly predictive of effects in humans, and from human occupational exposures to herbicides and other chemicals contaminated with TCDD. What is known regarding health effects is briefly summarized in the following paragraphs. Persons exposed to high concentrations of TCDD by reason of occupation or industrial accident were commonly observed to develop a painful skin, condition called chloracne. This condition usually appeared within weeks to months following exposure and persisted for one to several years, depending on the severity of exposure. Other health effects have also been observed in severely exposed persons. For example, a condition known as porphyria cutanea tarda, which is characterized by large blisters of the skin and liver involvement, was reported among at least two groups of exposed workers. In addition, Swedish investigators have recently suggested that there may be a relationship between exposure to TCDD containing herbicides and a form of cancer known as soft tissue sarcoma. However, information to date is not sufficiently completed to establish a cause and effect relationship. Birth defects were reported among children born to south Vietnamese refugees who sought sanctuary in north Vietnam. ft higher rate of birth defects was also reported among infants born to women whose husbands fought in south Vietnam compared to those born to women whose husbands stayed in north Vietnam. Results of these observations are in doubt, however, "due to methodological problems attendant with ascertainment of information in a waj—torn area. Increased abortion rates were also reported among women living in the fllsea, Oregon area where 2,4,5—T had been used for forest management. fin EPfl study tended to confirm this report, but the EPfl study was later found to have serious problems with incomplete ascertainment of data. �finimal studies have shown that rabbits and monkeys develop chlor&cne when exposed to subacute doses of TCDD. Subacute exposure has also been shown to produce severe weight loss and porphyria (a disorder of hemoglobin metabolism) in certain animal species. Carcinogenicity testing of TCDD in rats and mice has yielded results that are difficult to interpret. Increases were observed in cancerous tumors but only at doses which produced other toxic effects. There was a general lack of both organ specificity and linear dose response usually observed with cancer causing agents. In one study a certain strain of mice fed combinations of TCDD and £,4,5-trichlorophenoxyethanol showed a significantly higher incidence of liver cancer than controls. These observations led investigators to hypothesise that'TCDD may be a tumor promoter rather than a primary carcinogen. However, ""in actual trials in rats and mice, TCDD was not shown to be a tumor promoter. In test systems which employed TCDD and a carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbon, TCDD was observed to inhibit tumor formation by inducing the production of enzymes which converted the polyaromatic hydrocarbons into non—cancer causing metabolites. In other animal studies, certain strains of pregnant mice showed fetatoxicity and birth defects in their offspring after TCDD exposure; however, exposed male mice were not shown to produce deformed offspring. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange Description An account of the resource <p style="margin-top: -1em; line-height: 1.2em;">The Alvin L. Young Collection on Agent Orange comprises 120 linear feet and spans the late 1800s to 2005; however, the bulk of the coverage is from the 1960s to the 1980s and there are many undated items. The collection was donated to Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library in 1985 by Dr. Alvin L. Young (1942- ). Dr. Young developed the collection as he conducted extensive research on the military defoliant Agent Orange. The collection is in good condition and includes letters, memoranda, books, reports, press releases, journal and newspaper clippings, field logs and notebooks, newsletters, maps, booklets and pamphlets, photographs, memorabilia, and audiotapes of an interview with Dr. Young.</p> <p>For more about this collection, <a href="/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/alvin-l--young-collection-on-a">view the Agent Orange Exhibit.</a></p> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Box The box containing the original item. 199 Folder The folder containing the original item. 5599 Series The series number of the original item. Series VIII Subseries II Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource McKinley, Thomas W. Description An account of the resource <strong>Corporate Author: </strong>Georgia Department of Human Services Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983-07-01 Title A name given to the resource Summary, Georgia Agent Orange Survey of Vietnam Veterans ao_seriesVIII