Several of those people picked up consent forms today, said Christopher R. Picaut, an aide to the Capitol physician, Dr. John F. Eisold.

Byrd attended Senate sessions on that day, but complained of pain and his aides asked him to see the Capitol physician before he went to the hospital.

He walked back to his office, where he collapsed and was then examined by the Capitol physician, who decided Mr. Johnson should go to the hospital.

"People thought each spore was plutonium," said Dr. Eisold, the Capitol physician.

After being examined by the Capitol physician, he was taken by ambulance to the hospital and admitted with what the physician called the symptoms of a stroke.

Yet before then, the Capitol physician, Dr. John F. Eisold, had told federal agencies that he would use the vaccine to treat workers exposed on the Hill.

But Dr. Eisold, the Capitol physician, said that in preparing for an anthrax attack, he had decided to vaccinate workers who had been exposed to spores.

The amount of contamination was so small, said Dr. John F. Eisold, the Capitol physician, that no treatment was recommended for the staff members who work in those offices.

Dr. John Eisold, the Capitol physician, said the Department of Health and Human Services asked him to write recommendations, which he then sent to the disease control centers.

After being examined by the Capitol physician, he was admitted to George Washington University Hospital with what his office called "the symptoms of a stroke."