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Radiation Effects Research Foundation Nagasaki, Japan ABCC Collections
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Ivan F. Duff, MD papers

  • MS 090
  • Collection
  • 1967-1993

The Ivan Frances Duff, MD, papers, MS 90, consists of Dr. Duff's work in the field of rheumatology and his professional work in China and in Japan. The collection covers the years 1966-1993.

Dr. Ivan Frances Duff was born July 20, 1915 in Pendleton, Oregon. He died in October 1994. He graduated from the Univ. of Oregon and the Univ. of Michigan Medical School, where he completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine. In 1946 he joined the faculty of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, as an instructor, becoming a Professor in 1960. Dr. Duff founded the Turner Geriatric Clinic a the University of Michigan Medical Center. His major interest was in the field of rheumatic diseases.

Dr. Duff was a member of U.S. Naval Reserve and served on active duty a commander in the Submarine Medical Service in the Pacific theater from 1942 to 1946. After the war, the returned to the University of Michigan where he joined the faculty of the Department of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Duff's interest in epidemiology led to studies with the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) beginning in 1964. He was a researcher with the ABCC from 1967-1975 and then with the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) from 1975-1986. He studied the incidence and prevelance of rheumatoid arthritis and gout in Hiroshima and Nagasak patients.

In 1980, Dr. Duff was a member of an American Physician Exchange Group of twelve doctors visiting the People's Republic of China at the invitation of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. This initial visit led to a long relationship between Dr. Duff and the Chinese medical community. From 1981 to 1991, he was a research consultant at Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing, People's Republic of China, where he collaborated in epidemiologic studies of rheumatic diseases.

Dr. Duff was a leader in the field of rheumatology. He was the recipient of many awards and honors and served on many national panels. For a complete list of his accomplishments, please see Dr. Duff's vitae and obituary in this collection.

Dr. Duff died at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Oct. 27, 1994 at the age of 79.

The materials are in good shape. However, some items were damaged and separated as a result of the 2001 flooding by Tropical Storm Allison, which devestated the Texas Medical Center and the archive of the HAM-TMC Library where this collection was stored. In the fall of 2013, an archivist discovered the missing folders in another collection where they had been stashed during the recovery process. The archivist reintegrated the newly discovered Duff files into MS 90. Old finding aids have been preserved to provide some scholars reference to the missing material. Where ever appropriate, Chinese or Japanese names are written with the surname first followed by the personal name. Some of the materials in this collection show water damage. Most of the damaged papers are in the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission papers in series III. The processing archivist made photo copies if the paper was badly degraded or flaking to pieces. Most of the materials are in good shape. The collection consists of 3.75 cubic feet (6 boxes).

Ivan F. Duff, MD

Howard B. Hamilton, MD papers

  • MS 066
  • Collection
  • 1945-1997

The Howard B. Hamilton, MD, papers, MS 066, includes material from 1945-1997 related to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). Hamilton was the Chief of Clinical Laboratories for the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission from 1956 until its dissolution in 1975. He served in the same capacity for the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, which succeeded the ABCC, until 1984. This collection encompasses this period of time in Dr. Hamilton's career, as well as his related scholarly work after his retirement from RERF. Dr. Hamilton donated his collection of letters, reprints, newspaper articles, photographs, memos, and ephemera to the John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center between 1985 and 2002. The collection is in good condition and consists of 3.75 cubic feet (8 boxes).

This collection contains eight series: I. Correspondence; II. Memorandum, Notes, Books; III. Conferences, Congresses, Manuscripts; IV. Reprints; V. Newspaper Articles; VI. Akio Awa Cartoons; VII. Additional Correspondence; VIII. Addendum Series. This collection contains many reprints of articles Hamilton wrote or co-wrote on topics including the structure and function of hemoglobin, biochemical genetics, and the long term after-effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. One highlight of the collection is a series of cartoons, Series VI, created by Hamilton's friend Dr. Akio Awa that gives a unique look into the daily goings-on of the ABCC and RERF. Another collection highlight is the photographs in the Addendum Series, Series VIII, which includes images of former United States Senator Ted Kennedy who visited RERF in the late 1970s. Photos also include group photos from many ABCC and RERF conferences and events.

This collection was donated to the Historical Research Center over a number of years, and the material was processed at different times by different people, which resulted in several different organizational schemes being used. During the most recent processing of the collection the arrangement of the material was left unchanged to maintain continuity and for the sake of scholarly citations that may have been made previously

Hamilton was born in Oak Park Illinois on December 4, 1918. He graduated from the University of Rochester in New York in 1941 and from Yale University School of Medicine in 1945. Hamilton served in the United States Navy from 1942-1945, during World War II. In the late 1940s and early 1950s Hamilton conducted research at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, the Long Island School of Medicine, the New York College of Surgeons, and the University of Tokyo in Japan.

In 1956 Hamilton moved to Hiroshima, Japan, where he lived for the next thirty years. After his move to Japan, Hamilton served as the Chief of Clinical Laboratories for the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) from 1956 until its dissolution in 1975. Hamilton worked in the same capacity for the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), which succeeded the ABCC, until 1984. Between 1984 and 1986 Dr. Hamilton began transitioning into retirement; he continued to work as a consultant for the RERF during this time.

Hamilton was a consummate scholar and published extensively thoughout his career. Hamilton published papers on topics including endocrinology, steroid chemistry, enzyme kinetics, hemoglobinopathies, the structure and function of hemoglobin, genetic polymorphisms, biochemical genetics, the long term after-effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, and epidemiology of cardio-vascular disease.

Hamilton's hobbies included playing tennis and practicing the Japanese theatrical art of Noh, which features dramatic masks and carefully defined movements. After his retirement, Dr. Hamilton catalogued Noh and Kabuki works and published Noh plays. In some circles, Dr. Hamilton was known as much for his enthusiastic patronage and participation in Noh as he was for his work with the ABCC and RERF. (Source: Washington Post, May 9, 2007)

Hamilton died on May 9, 2007 at his home in Falls Church, Virginia. He was 88 years old.

The collection is in good to excellent condition depending on the age of the individual item and how carefully it was stored and preserved in the years before it entered the HRC's collection. Dr. Hamilton donated his large collection of letters, reprints, newspaper articles, photographs, memos, and ephemera to the John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center between about 1985 and 2002. The collection consists of 3.75 cubic feet (8 boxes) and is collection MS 066.

Hamilton, Howard B.