32

group whoreceived 175 rads are designated as
“Rongelap exposed,” the Rongelap people who

slightiv at the time of the 9 and 10-year surveys in

population of Rongelap as “unexposed.” Because

years the neutrophil levels were about 5% lowerin
the exposed than in the comparison group, but at

group,their data were nottreated as fully as those

levels are shown in Figures 23 through 29. The

rized in a separate paragraph. The Utirik data
are summarized separately also. Because of certain

younger age groups (<_40 years). The exposed
older age groups (>40 years) did not share the
deficit as much as has been noted in the past (Figures 26 through 29),
LympHocytes. Lymphocyte levels were slightly
higher in the exposed and unexposed groups during the 9 and 10-year surveys. In contrast to the
8-year survey results, the lymphocyte mean levels
showedlittle difference between the exposed and
unexposed groups during the 9 and 10-year surveys; however, some individual lymphocyte counts
were lowerin the exposed group. Lymphocytelevels are shown in Figures 24, 25, and 30 through 34.

Neutropuits.

both exposed and comparison populations. At 9

received a smaller exposure of 69 rads as “Ailingnae
exposed,” and the larger unexposed comparison

10 years they were about 20% lower. Neutrophil

of the small numberof people in the Ailingnae

neutrophil deficit was greater in the exposed

for the Rongelap groups, and are briefly summa-

differences noted in age and sex groups between
the exposed and the unexposed, in addition to the
comparisons of meanlevels for entire groups,
comparisons are also made of age and sex groups.
Ages 9 to 15, 16 to 40, and >40 years for each sex

are compared.
The hematological data are summarized in
Tables 18 and 19 and in Figures 23 through 49.
In Appendices 1, 2, and 3 are presented summaries
of the mean blood counts of the exposed populations and of the various comparison populations
since exposure in March 1954. In Appendices 4
and 3 arelisted the individual blood counts for
1963 and 1964. In Appendix 6 basophil counts
are presented.
. Rongelap Population. Leukocytes. Mean
levels of leukocytes in both exposed and comparison populations at 9 years post exposure wereincreased over the 8-yearlevels, and the 10-year

t

.

r

7

* EXPOSED 9 YEARS POST EXPOSURE
« UNEXPOSED
« EXPOSED, TIME OF MAXIMUM DEPRESSION

CUMUL ATIVE (%}

26-30 OATS!

levels were higher than those for either of the two

preceding years. The exposed group had only
slightly lower leukocytes than the unexposed
(—4%) at 9 years, and at 10 years, lower by 9%.
Most of the difference was due to lower neutrophil
leveis in the exposed group (see Figure 23).
LEUKOCYTES AND NEUTROPHILS 410 7

The neutrophil levels increased

:

y

g0F
1

/

60
i

40F

20F
Ou

‘

9.2040:

L

a

60480

0

NEUTROPHILS 107

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y / :j

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é
—_

25

ag

60

LYMPHOCYTES 11073

20

a0

wo

PLATELETS «.Q*

Figure 24. Cumulative percent distribution curves for
neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets, 1963.
4
!

1
_

~~

a

~

vc

”

+ EXPOSES, TEN YEARS POST Ex*OgUeE

:
4

:
i 3st ones)

z oor '

wo
>

3 CONTRO,
> EXPOSED, TIME OF MaxiMUM DEP ATSSION
(3-89: OAYS)
(26-39 ;Oars)
4

Py

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7

-

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t'

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aor

+

ad

pe

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mw
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MBM!
TIME

GA
MO
AFTER

po

5a
6
YEARS

po

8

EXPOSURE

Figure 23. Mean neutrophil and white blood counts of
exposed Rongelap people from time of exposure through
10 years post exposure. Stars represent mean values of
comparison population.

ra

)

:

wo

|

oe

1

20

40

60

3890

NEUTS x107>

20

40

LYMPHS x 1073

Q

20040

50

PLATELETS «07

Figure 25. Cumulative percent distnbution curves
for neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets, 1964.

Select target paragraph3