4O2 B72 Ww i Bricf Sunmary of Medical Findings in the Marshallese J Ba Gear Accidentally Exposed to Radioactive Fallout in 1554 The accidental exposure occurred on March 1, 1954 following detonation of a thermonuclear devise on Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds. A shife in wind resulted in fallout on the following inhabited islands* Depd Island Distance from Bikini Rongelap . No. of People wa estima dea Gamma dose 105 miles 64 Allingnae 110—Cts 18 69 Rongerik 135 #" 28" 70.~—O" Ucirik 275 =" 175 rads 158 4 " " American Service men There were no deaths but certain acute effects were noted, particularly in the Rongelap people. Trans¢ient depression of blood cells was follow- ed by recovery to near normal levels by one year. Fallout deposited on the body resulted in skin burns and spotty loss of hair in the Rongelap, Ailingnae and Rongerik groups. cut complications in The burns healed and the hair regrew with- several months. Urine analyses revealed that inter- nal absorption of radioactive material had occurred from inhalation and ingestion of contaminated food and water but no acute effects were observed from this source (as will be seen below late effects did occur). Follow-up examinations during the first decade showed few findings that could be related to radiation exposure. Possibly related was che occurrence of about twice the number of miscarriages and stillbirths in the exposed compared with unexposed Rongelap women. ence was not seen after 5 years. This differ-