November     1050
                      Washington 25, D. C.
                      Subject:  P,-ropos          nt-t
                               wi                                   studies of motic@@-SEC7@
                                ness
                      Gentlemen-
                                                       2        after con  erences  with  repre-,
                      sentati-ves Of             s for the consideration and support of
                      a pre-oosal for  upj) emeii ation of its prese            of
                                       t2 be ca
                              sickness,
                                The prcrosed supplement reaucsto an expansion of studies now
                      in progre2ss on -,he effects of certain  drugs  for  prevention  of  motion
                      sickness.  The specific 'purpose of the proposed supplement is the
                      dcvclopment of methods for study of the side-cffects  of  these  cli-u@gs,
                      and of rclated si-ibstanccs, or of other d@-ufs or  agents,  with  special
                      attention to2 their actions  on  complex  psychological  functions  and  on
                      behavior followed by the evaluation of particular d--ugs.  The in-
                      vestigation will have three main aspects:
                                1. A survey of present  knoi@ledge  of  methods  for  assessment
                      of the behavioral effects of  chemical  and  envirorlnental  agents,  such
              2        as drugs, toxins, alcohol, higli alti@uude, endocrines including pitui-
                      tary and adrenal cortical horrones, hJ.Lqli tomperattLr,--, r@lccp loss,
                      noise or vibraticno,  environmental  stress,  social  s'@ress,  etc..  The
                      rurpcsc will b,-- the discovery of methods -2@,liieh will rnake it possible
                      'lo measure the specific nature of the cffect,r of drugs c)ii I)crc(Dption,
                      juj.gincnt, mood, J-i,,ipulr@ivencss, emotionality and other intellectual
                      and   personality traits.
                                2. The development and tr-7,stint., of a ,ot of mc,@,hodr, by aiiich
                      siich drug actions may be v@,lidly measured.  For 'his   purpose human
                      subjects will be used -under the influcncc   of such drucs as arc now
                      known to produce particular effects on intellectual, personality

                        and conati4ic traits, in order to tc---t tlic validity  of  t@io,  methods.
                        The three iti@,ijor approachcf,7 @,,ill probably be:  -,i) day-book and
                        observational  studies  of  tho  daily-life  activitics   of   subjects
                        under 2 minimal  dosages,  b)  laboratory  investigations  by   physiolog4@-
                        cal and ps-,,cliological -%isto under  a  variety  of  dosage  levels,  and
                        C)  situational  and  interview  procedures  at  various   dosage   levels.
                        Each of these  three  methods  will  be  applied  to  subjects  who  diffe2r
                        widely  in  intellectual,  personality  and  charactci-  traits,  so  as
                        to find the  interaction  of  the  human  factor  and  the  drug  factor.
                                    3. The testing, by means of whatever valid methods
                        have been dovelopcd by lulic  study,  of  such  drugs  as  seem  likely
                      @to be in most widespread use.
                                    It is hoped thtt the results  of  'Uhcsc  @-tildics  may  make
                        possible decisions on  the  limits  of  proper  uoo  of  drugs  in  mili-
                        L'ary operations. Particularly, it is houcd to 1.@'ind irliicli  druS,,@
                        may  safcly  be  admin2istered  to  officers   and   other   critical   person-
                        n--l -wliose I)crccption, judeincnt, discretion and decisions are
                        vitally :Liportant.
                                    But the significance of such @-rork, if it his a          success-
                        ful outcome, may go far beyond such specific questio2ns.            It  m,-t,,r
                        make contributions to each of ".he areas of investigation          of   the
                        effects of chemical and ciiviroi-im(-ntal ie,,ents incntioiied in (1) above,
                        to  problonis  oL'  interest  to  the  mental  healtli  authorities  workin-
                        2on the effects of ondccrinco or on tl,.o  use  o@'  drugs  @is  -in  aid  in
                        the psychothcra-,'(@utic process,  and  to  fluidaincnt,,tl  behavior  theory.
                                    It is  obvious  that  this  task  is  a  rliffictilt  one,  having
                        I)ecn  the  objcctivo  of  many  2scicntific  workers  for   sixty   years.
                        Because of its scope it @,rill require the                    thii-iking   and
                        efforts  of  a  number  of  scicnccs.  Purtlacrmoi-c.  it  is  not  nov   pos-
                        siblc +@c foresee all  of  tll.@,  sl)crific  needs  for  equip2ment,  con-
                        sultation or personnel.  For tlicsc rcascns the bu(ICc", must be reli-
                        ti@vely larrc aiarl tlir.      h(,.rc I)r(@sciito-I rtnrl biifi-r@t citcgorics
                        shown should be rct.Tardcd as subject to l-,itei- rcvicions.