v4
.:
PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED
The way the Benate Bill 1192 is presently written, ’ these people
ald mot
receive compensation because ef thelr not hariag Hred on Utirik ‘Telend on
Me A Let
¢)
re is a womaa named 9h
who was exposed to th
gland.
ing Is a manifestation of a dysfunoctioning thyroid
(c) Life shorten
ap Atoll following the inet.
There were some cases of atunted growth on Rongel
of these two problems are
dent of March 1. 1964, and I am woodering !f either
in 1054. She expreesed her fears to me that dnce she recelved teeagle:
Hon), and aimee her children have all suckled from her breast, that now ber
coutinulng today.
d persons who was born three
(@) Wim, the son of two Utirik expose
operated ou for a malignant thyroid
yeare after the incident has recently Leen
er DN t rete Mere exposure to the radiation.
nancy was unrelated to genetic inheritance.
eramining physicians that these area result ef lingering rediation ia Utirik, the
Front are convinced that these new caace are also © result of the radiation of
rik. Whether these four new cases are Indeed related to Hogeri
on Utirik or are merely colacidental di
aeons
unrelated to radiation,
theUeitic
Utirik _
people think that these new cases are @
t of tbe Hagering radiation om their
r date
velopments we would like tg revise it for the record ut a_Jnte
be
ehlidreo will bare received “polson” in their Lodies also, despite the fact that
During
March 1977 ERDA/Brockhaves survey, focr pew thyroald
medules were found in the nonexposesd Utirik group. Despite flat denials hy the
(¢) Mauy women I spoke with during my2years on Utirikexpressed fears of
either Increaped infertitity or an {ocrease in the nuniber of stillbirths aud miacarriages. Several women aleo expreseed their fear of giving birth again to “grapes”,
aa ao many of them had done Immediately foliowlog the Incident In 1954, despite
atk
about
the fact that
ERDA's phyaicians have ve conti nually told them not to worry
,
i, Buvironmental effects of radiation on Utirik
(oe) The people of Utirik are convinced that there are laating effects of the
radiation. The arrowroot (“mokmok”) stalks of Utirik are much shorter than
before, and the people feel that this is a result of the radiation. I had a recent talk
with the director of agriculture for the Marshall Islands District (Liki), and
although he perannaliy felt there to be no relationship between the demnaged
errowroot on Utirlk and the radiation, be did retate an interesting converaation
he had bad with Dr. Conard on Bikink Atoll (n 1954 folowing the incident. Lik{
tells me that Dr. Conard asked that three things he placed on the “probthited lat"
following the Incident In 1954: 1) A certain apecieos of roef fish, 2) the coconut
crab (considered a delicacy by the Marshallese). and 3) arrowroot. It {a intereatrag That to he preoentle'ganape probiited {tema accanding ta Dr. Conard—tla
o
asa
t of the radiation In the minds of the
Oeitik
(>) There are a few mutant atralns of breadfruit and coconut trees on Utirtk
Taland, and although these may indeed be random inutation and unrelated to the
radiation, the people of Utirik are convinced that.these mutations are directly
related to the radiation.
Se malictumor, The burden of proof appears to He with the doctors that
:
to wind up
Senator Merzzxaaum. Congressman Balos, I am abouts
this hearing.
have a genMr. Baroa. Mr. Chairman, I would like to point outewe
certain deof
Lecaus
but
,
earlier
eral statement that was submitted
on
92. the section
the bill before us, section 2 under Senate bHI-H
0, We
amended to say each person be awarded the maximumof $750,00
within the
feel this would be a coniparable sum awarded to a citizer
United States,
Another section be amended to award for radiation——
another
Senator Merzensaca. I am sorry, Congressman. I have
there.
be
must
I
s.
minute
5
in
tment
commi
Mr. Baxos, I would like to submit it for the record.
your doing 3. We
Senator Merzensaum. We certainly appreciateJong
«distances to be
uppreciate the presence of all who have come
with us here this morning.
CH.
Is the Department committed to full implementation of the
{
request
its
based
hag
esia
Micron
of
ss
Congre
the
program in which
Mrs. Vax Creve. It is my understandingit is.
with a breakSenator MrTzexpata. Will you provide the commitItee
previously -ug-
down of the expenditures for the trust territories
gested?
Mrs. Vax Creve. We certainly will.
the
(Subsequent to the hearing. the following was received for
record :]
TeusT TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
(¢) Tbe important point bere is that the people of Utirik alncerely belleve that
these effects are @ result of the radiation, whether or not these effects are indeed
ESTIMATED OPERATIONS EXPENDITURES
the result of the radiation.
[lm Chousamds of dotlars]
Tf, Phystological effcote of radiation on Tlirilcac
(a) It is medically accepted that there are eerious physiological {ll-effects in
the Utirtk people, however, there ts still some question about the character and
extent of these effects. E.g., thyrold tumors are continulng to manifest after
8 years. I think it is instructive to look af Dr. Conard’« own words in hin 20year medical report where he states on page T5 “* * © That the thyroid effects
may not yet be manifest.” This ahould be kept in mind when conaldering the
question of compensation and continued medical treatment for theae peonle. It
ie rather curious that a cut-off date of 1987 for compensation war included tn
the Senate bill, and the “full settlement” claune {Included In the Howse hilt. fn
eet of am indefinite prognosis and lmcreased number of rediation-related
sea sen.
(b) Two people from Utirik were alr-evacuated after the March OTT medica!
if thene
survey revealed suspected cases of skin cancer. I would like to know
two people did indeed manifest skim cancer az muspected. Mr curtoaity atems
from the meation by Dr. Coward on pase seventy-three of his twenty sear inedi-
cal report that there may be incidemce of late-cccurring akin cancer as & reault
of the redlathen.
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