s+ MEDICALSURVEYOF THE PEOPLE OF RONGELAP AND UTIRIK ISLANDS NINE“AND TEN YEARS AFTER EXPOSURE TO FALLQST RADIATION 7. _ 1963 AND MARCH 1964) Introduetip radioactive The results of a medical survey ofthe peopl Rongelap in the Marshall Islands, carried out! March 1963 and March 1964, 9 and 10 years after the accident, are presented in this repert. These: people had been accidentally exposed to falfout radiation following a detonation of a high yield thermonuclear device during experiments at Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds in March 1954. An unpredicted shift in winds caused a deposition of significant amounts of fallout on four inhabited Marshall Islands to the east of Bikini (see Figure 1) and also on 23 Japanese fishermen aboardtheirfishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon, Of the inhabitants of the island of Rongelap, 105 nautical miles away from the detonation, 64 re- Saihes7 largest faut expggure: an estimated | “AGRE of 175 radsof withlesbodygamma radiation, cont ion of the ient to“resuit in as andfightintérnal absorption of radio-: active matérials inhalation and ingestion. Another [8 Rorigelap people away ona nearby lens fallout occurred,re. rads: ‘There were 28Americah island of Rongerik | aout the same (37 dose of abour60. e-slight enough to . allow safe salle agelap Atoll wis considéted to Baliiboighly contamifiated, a temporary village covtmrticted for the Rongelap people on Majuro Atoll severad hutiired miles to the south, where theylived for the following 31% years and were examinedat yearly intervats by a special medical team. In July 1957, aftet careful evaluation of the radioactive contamination situ- ation, Rongelap lelaad|wats cénsidered safe for habitation. A new viltagewasconstructed, and the Rongelap people were moved there by Navy ship. The annual medical surveys have since been carried out on Rongelap Island. A group of more than 100 Rongelap people, who wererelatives of the exposed people but had been away from theisland at the time ofthe accident, moved back with the Rongelap people to their home island and have served as an ideal comparison populationfor the studies. This number fieeifice increased to about 200. Following the iéftial survey of the Utirik people on Kwa- jalein in 1954, a repeat survey was carried out in March 1957. In addition, during the past survey, aE “2 & UTIRIK ther east, received about ancoeeiangs S 14 ic whole-body radiation. The fallout Waar on this island and no skin effects devéjoBed. sive examinations for the follo pr A In view of the generally negative findin a5 ofthe American servicemen, they were later returned to their duty stations. The Utirik people were also allowed to return to their home island, where Figure 1. Map of Fallout Area (March 1, 1954), Marshail Islands. MAJURO S