Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
William J. Schull, PhD papers
Date(s)
- 1945-2014 (Creation)
Extent
86 cubic feet; (135 boxes).
Name of creator
Biographical history
William J. Schull, PhD was an American scientist and geneticist famous for his research into the effects of ionizing radiation on the human body largely based on the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after World War II. Dr. Schull began his scientific career in radiation research in 1949 when he joined the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC), established in Japan in 1946 by the United States National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council to study the effects of the bombings in accordance with a presidential directive from Harry S. Truman. From his first post as Head of the Department of Genetics at ABCC, Dr. Schull served many decades in the elite corps of scientists conducting research into the genetic impact of irradiation on human health. A professor emeritus of The Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, Dr. Schull served on most of the major governmental and non-governmental committees formed throughout the 20th century to quantify the effects of ionizing radiation. He helped form the genetics department at the University of Michigan where he served as a professor from 1956 to 1972. As his career progressed, Dr. Schull frequently served in executive positions, chairing many of the governmental committees he served on and becoming a director, 1986-1987 and 1990-1991, and in 1996-1997, vice chairman and chief of research of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), established in 1975 as the follow-on organization to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission. Dr. Schull was inducted into the United States National Academy of Sciences in 2001. In affirmation of his long and honorable service to the Japanese people, Dr. Schull received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class from the Emperor of Japan in 1992.
William Jackson Schull was born on March 17, 1922 to Gertrude Edna (maiden name Davenport) (1900-1938) and Eugene Shull (1896-1975) in Louisiana, Missouri. While Shull is the last name inscribed on his birth certificate, his name was changed to Schull while he was in elementary school. Dr. Schull spent most of his boyhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from that city’s Lincoln High School in 1939. In 1946, Dr. Schull earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1947, he earned a Master of Science in Zoology from the same university. He received a Doctor Of Philosophy in Genetics From Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio in 1949. Enlisting in December 1942, Dr. Schull served in the United States Army as a surgical technician with the 37th Infantry Division in the South Pacific until December 1945. In concert with his scientific work, Dr. Schull valued the preservation of the archival historic record and promoted the preservation of the history of the ABCC and RERF throughout his career. He died June 20, 2017, in Houston.
A detailed curriculum vitae is available for Dr. Schull in the control folder for his collection at the McGovern Historical Collection.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
MS 67 the William J. Schull papers contains correspondence, interoffice memorandums, presentations, scientific works, journal reprints, monograph drafts, report drafts, travel diaries, travel receipts and itineraries, travel ephemera, other printed material, news clips, exhlbit material, photographs, 35 mm slides, audios tapes, video tapes, film, maps and realia in eighty-six cubic feet of material documenting his the life and works. Over 60 percent of the collection documents his life and work at the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) and Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) in Japan. Twenty five percent of the collection contains papers from his work for various governmental and non-governmental bodies about the effects of ionizing radiation. Another 8 cubic feet contains lbs from his personal life. Dr. Schull created travel diaries about the many international trips required for his work. The collection contains 62 typewritten travel diaries as well as many lbs of travel ephemera, mainly from Japan, collected by Dr. Schull. Dr. Schull wrote several books and the collection contains copies of the historical documents and photographs used in the creation of his books, notably "Song Among The Ruins," his memoir about his time at the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission. The major theme of this collection is epidemiological and genetic scientific innovation used to quantify the threat posed to the human race by ionizing radiation; to establish the probability of health outcomes to alleviate the fear of survivors, especially about the health of unborn generations; and to provide governments with facts about the consequences of the use of atomic weapons for war and nuclear energy for industrial purposes.
In addition to the records for ABCC and RERF (1945-2014), organizations with a large number of records in the collection include: ICRP, International Commission On Radiological Protection (1980-1995); ICRHER, International Consortium For Research On The Effects of Radiation (1990-2002); UNSCEAR, United Nations, Scientific Committee On The Effects Of Atomic Radiation (1987); WHO, United Nations World Health Organization, Health Effects of Chernobyl Accident (1990s); United States Department of Energy, Advisory Council On Nuclear Facility Safety (1990); United States Environmental Protection Agency, Science Advisory Board, Radiation Advisory Committee (1984-1990); and BRER, United States National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Board On Radiation Effects Research (1990s).
While the material is generally in good condition, some of the material suffered flood damage during tropical storm Allison in 2001. Although archivists discarded several lbs that could not be salvaged, they did preserve some material that may have value although flood damage is evident. With the damaged papers, some pages may be stuck together and handwritten notes may be faded beyond recognition. This damaged material is limited to four folders in two boxes, including box 40 folder 1; and box 42, folders 1, 2 and 3.
Dr. Schull collected and preserved all of the material in this collection in the course of his professional career and private life from 1945 to 2014. The collection consists of approximately 135 boxes including oversize and audiovisual. It consists of approximately 86 cubic feet of material.
System of arrangement
The series arrangement reflects the various positions that Dr. Schull held during his career as an executive, scientist, and author on the effects of radiation and genetics on human health. This collection is arranged into the following series:
Series I. Radiation Research, ABCC/RERF
Series II. Editorial Positons and Peer Reviews
Series III. Scholarly Works
Series IV. Radiation Research, Governmental and Non-Governmental Bodies
Series V. Genetics Research, Governmental and Non-Governmental Bodies
Series VI. Expert Witness In Litigation
Series VII. Collected Publications
Series VIII. Personal Papers
Series IX. Realia
Series X. Oversize
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is open for research. Some material in the collection has been restricted due to the use of patient names, Japanese confidentiality practices, or other considerations about the contents. Consult an archivist about potential access to these materials.
Physical access
While the material is generally in good condition, some of the material suffered flood damage during tropical storm Allison in 2001. Although archivists discarded several lbs that could not be salvaged, they did preserve some material that may have value although flood damage is evident. With the damaged papers, some pages may be stuck together and handwritten notes may be faded beyond recognition. This damaged material is limited to four folders in two boxes, including box 40 folder 1; and box 42, folder 1, 2 and 3.
Dr. Schull collected and preserved all of the material in this collection in the course of his professional career and private life from 1945 to 2014. The collection consists of approximately 135 boxes including oversize and audiovisual. It consists of approximately 86 cubic feet of material.
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Languages of the material
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
An extensive photo and scrapbook collection also created by Dr. Schull is housed in MS 170 at the McGovern Historical Center. lbs of note in this collection include a scrapbook about Dr. Schull's career containing remembrances from many of his peers and a scrapbook created when he received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class from the Emperor of Japan. A finding aid for this collection is available. Consult an archivist to obtain access.
Generated finding aid
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Deed-3
The McGovern Historical Center received these papers directly from William J. Schull during his lifetime. The papers were used by Dr. Schull during his work at various governmental and non-governmental bodies. In most instances, many people, including Dr. Schull, received copies of material as is common in institutional operations. Due to this, the papers are not always the original but are the copy received by Dr. Schull or forwarded to him by another. While Dr. Schull took many of the photos, others are copies of photos made by the organizations he worked for or the United States military. Film, video, and audio material was usually produced by media professionals that worked for the organizations involved. Copies were then provided to Dr. Schull.
Immediate source of acquisition
McGovern Historical Center accessioned these records through a Deed of Gift from Dr. Schull over a number of years in distrlbutions of various sizes and content.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
This collection contrlbutes significantly to the historical record about the health effects of the World War II atomic bombings to survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Documents in the collection provide detailed insight into the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission. Additionally, the collection adds records about genetics and epidemiological research into the health effects of ionizing radiation throughout the 20th century, the inner workings of the various governmental and non-governmental bodies tasked with understanding and controlling nuclear technologies, and the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion in 1986. Dr. Schull was a senior leader in scientific research about the health effects of ionizing radiation and genetics for decades. His papers contrlbute valuable historical insights into these fields.
As of October 2014, an International Consortium, consisting of Gakushuin University in Japan, the Texas Medical Center Llbrary McGovern Historical Center in Texas, and the United States National Academy of Sciences archives in Washington, D.C., is working on a pilot project to digitize selected records about the history of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission. Records in this collection will be a major source of digital objects.
Accruals
The McGovern Historical Center may receive additional papers from Dr. Schull for this collection.
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
The collection contains a number of formats. Papers include bond, onion paper, yellow ruled tablet and different types of Japanese papers made of rice and silk. Photos, film and video in many formats are in the collection along with black and white and color 35mm slides and negatives. Audio tape formats are noted in the entries in this finding aid.
Related archival materials
The collection contains oversized ephemera. These lbs are separated, foldered and boxed in Oversize. A large poster about ABCC/RERF history is separated and placed in a Map Drawer. Large maps of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 have also been separated to the Map Drawer and Oversize depending on the map. Books are boxed and shelved along with the collection. Audio and video tapes are separated and placed in Audiovisual. All lbs are descrlbed in this finding aid.
The McGovern Historical Center holds the papers of many people who served at the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission and the ensuing Radiation Effects Research Foundation. The Center also has a large number of photographs from the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission. Consult an archivist if access to related materials is desired.
Related descriptions
- H. Grant Taylor, MD papers
- 40th year pictorial of Atomic Bomb Causalty Commission and Radiation Effects Research Foundation.
- Song among the ruins /
- Effect of exposure to the atomic bombs on pregnancy termination in Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
- Effects of atomic radiation : a half-century of studies from Hiroshima and Nagasaki /
- Commemoration of the 40th anniversary of U.S.-Japan joint studies of late A-Bomb effects : memories of ABCC-RERF.
Notes element
Specialized notes
- Citation: William J. Schull, PhD Papers; MS 067; John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library. Please cite the box and folder numbers where appropriate.
Alternative identifier(s)
TARO
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Finding aid based on DACS ( Descrlbing Archives: A Content Standard).
Sources used
Archivist's note
This collection was processed and descrlbed thanks to a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion Science and the assistance of Professor Masahito Ando and his team at Gakushuin University in Tokyo.
Archivist's note
This collection was processed using a mix of lb, folder and box level processing. Papers from the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, later known as the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, received lb and folder level processing as did the papers from Dr. Schull's personal life. Papers about radiation research at all other governmental and non-governmental agencies, genetics research, and expert witness activities received box level processing and are descrlbed at a box level. Flood damaged material was retained if any contents were discernlble. A small amount of severely flood damaged material was discarded.
Archivist's note
Because the material was received from Dr. Schull in many smaller lots, this finding aid combines all of Dr. Schull's papers in one arrangement for the first time, since he began donating materials in the 1990s. Researchers using citations prior to 2014 may no longer have accurate box and folder numbers. Consult an archivist for more information.
Archivist's note
In this finding aid, the country name United States is frequently abbreviated as U. S. where the abbreviation was included in the title. Similarly, Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission is abbreviated as ABCC. The Radiation Effects Research Foundation is abbreviated RERF. The mnemonic ABCC/RERF is used to refer to both organizations.
Archivist's note
Finding aid prepared by DK Smith, project archivist.
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
- United States
- Pripyat, Ukraine
- Marshall Islands
- Rongelap Atoll
- Fort Davis, Texas
- South America
- Latin America
- Kure, Japan
- Tokyo, Japan
- Nagasaki, Japan
- Washington, D.C.
- Kuroshima, Japan
- Kurashima Island, Japan
- Hijiyama, Japan
- Kiev (Ukraine)
- Pribolofs, Alaska
- The Gotos, Japan
- Italy (Europe)
- Sweden (Europe)
- Poland (Europe)
- France (Europe)
- Hong Kong (China)
- India (South Asia)
- Bolivia (South America)
- Peru (South America)
- Chile (South America)
- Ukraine (Europe)
- Kodiak Island, Alaska
- Hiroshima, Japan
- Japan
Name access points
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation (Subject)
- Schull Institute (Subject)
- United States. Army (Subject)
- Jablon, Seymour (Subject)
- Uchida, Yoshiko (Subject)
- Awa, Akio. (Subject)
- Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (Subject)
- Schull, William J. (Subject)
- Moloney, William C. (Subject)
- Kastenbaum, Marvin A., Ph.D. (Subject)
- Sutow, Wataru W. (Wataru Walter), 1912-1981 (Subject)