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

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