ait
UNITED STATES
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON. D.C.
ACEC?
20545
APR cc i971 | Re
926 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY
COMMISSION
Chairman Seaborg <——_
Collection FCs 2A BORG
Comniseionee Sohacon
Box 326-76-6
comm Sevoner Larson
Folder RapaTion + Faccour4-1-7/-
.
General Manager
THRU{
CURRENT MEDICAL STATUS OF THE MARSHALLESE EXPOSED TO FALLOUT FROM
THE MARCH 1, 1954, TEST ON BIKINI BY DR. ROBERT A, CONARD, MEDICAL
DEPARTMENT, BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY
Dr. Conard conducted his annual medical survey of the exposed and
non-exposed Marshallese between February 20 and March 20, 1971. He
visited Rongelap, Utirik, Ebeye and Majuro Islands (Atolls).
He reports that no new thyroid lesions were found in the exposed
Rongelap people, One 35-year-old woman in the low exposure (14 rads)
group on Utirik developed a slight enlargement of one lobe of the
thyroid that will be watched. A 32-year-old unexposed control
Rongelap woman living on Ebeye developed a nodular thyroid during
the year for which surgery was recommended at the Majuro Hospital.
The current status may be updated as follows:
I.
Young Rongelapese exposed to fallout March 1, 1954, when they were
1 to 8 years of age.
(Estimated dose:
175 rads external gamma
plus 600 to 1400 rem internal irradiation.)
Total - 19
1,
2.
Currently normal by clinical and biochemical tests.
(There may be a slight unevenness of the gland in
one patient.)
2
(11%)
3
(16%)
Currently hypothyroid with minimal nodularity.
Responding satisfactorily to oral thyroid hormone
therapy.