Table |
Summary of Marshallese Populatiorg ExaminedSince 1954.
Group
x
eo,
1954 April
1957
_~
1958
1964
a
No.in group
Series
Commasison Porutations
Majuro
oo
115 (aduits and children)
= Rongelap
«
,
wo
Rongelap
a
S20
"
170 (age > 10 only)
Rongelap
ExposzD PopuLaTIONs
Rongelap (175 r)
Adingnae (70 r)
American servicemen
Utirik (14 r)
700-817
8O1-900
8D1-970
801-1058
~S
67 (includes 3 in utero; annual exams)
19 (includes 1 in utero; annual exams)
28 (examined 1954 only)
157 (examined every 3 to 4-years)
1-86
1-86
401-428
2105-2257
UnNexposeD CHILDREN (< 10 YEARS AS OF 1964)
Rongelap & Ailingnae
Rongelap
Utirik
45 (exposed parents)
75 (unexposed parents)
20 (exposed parents)
87-136
- 801-1058
2258-2278
Duringthe first 24 to 48 hr after exposure, about
as in the previous surveys, a visit was made to
Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls for examination of a
number of Rongelap people, now residing at these
atolls, and also groups of children who represent
%4 of the Rongelap people experienced anorexia
and nausea. A few vomited and had diarrhea. In
appendix 10 the individual histories of nausea
Table 1 lists the various populations that have
enced itching and burning of the skin, and a few
complained of lachrymation and burning of the
part of the control group used for the growth and
developmentstudies of the exposed children.
been examined since 1954.
The accumulation of data from these surveys is
becoming increasingly voluminous. Since condi-
tions have not been favorable for performance of
extensive statistical analyses or use of electronic
computing procedures to store and manipulate the
data, the annual survey reports published bythis
Laboratory are made as complete as possible. This
report, therefore, includes a considerable amount
of raw data, much of it in appendices, so that
others may have an opportunity to make further
calculations if desired.
Summary of Past Findings
Reports have been published on the Andings of
surveys madeat the following times after exposure: initial examination,’ 6 months,’ | year,’ 2
years,‘ 3 years,’ 4 years,® 5 and 6 years,’ 7 years®
and 8 years.® The followingis a brief summary of
the findings previously reported.
and vomiting are tabulated. Many also experi-
eyes. Following this, the people remained asymp-
tomatic until about 2 weeks after the accident,
when cutaneous lesions andloss of hair developed,
due largely to beta irradiation of the skin. It was
apparent whenthe people were first examined, a
few days after exposure, that the lymphocvtes
were considerably depressed and that significant
doses of radiation had probably been received. In
addition to the whole-body dose of radiation and
the beta irradiation of the skin, radiochemical an-
alyses of the urine showed that measurable
amounts of radioactive material had also been ab. sorbed internally. The effects of the radiation can
best be summarized under three headings according to the mode of exposure: penetratingtrradiation, skin irradiation, and internalirradiation.
PENETRATING RADIATION
Oneof the earliest findings indicative of signifi-
cant exposure in these people was lowering of