10
Dental Survey. Intra-ora} examinations were
conducted as part of the physical examination All
pattents were examined with mouth mirror and
explorer. Illumination was by standard operating
hght. Salivary pH was taken byuse of pHydrion
on all eplajerss|who were nol cating candy or any
other foods Salva
wif
samples were
from
these pasientsa¥tite time pH detergnihauitins were
made. Intr’a-oral radjograms.
enofavgilable.
Dental éxamination® were vos on the fol-lowing ‘growps: 30 chitdrea Majure;
aE
all the
adults Teatos at Rongefap tebo.were ii n the
physical exaf@nation é
children at Utirik.
J
p: arian ber of
™
Studies of Aging Criteria
Although the exposed group has shown no outward evidence visible by gross observation of any
aceélesgicd aging effect of radiation, it was
thought desirable to have avatlable measurable
criteria of possible age changes for use during normal physical examination. Therefore the over-all
objective of this study was to establish tags to
om ~. evaluate any possible radiation- inducedsenes-
e
'
rt living
ta(presentedia later section on
results} collected during the 1959 survev (5 vears
after exposure} showed no apparent differences
between the exposed and unexposed groups.
Therefore the data from the two groups have been
pooled with the objectives of presenting the methodology, indicating the irend of changes with age
of the vartous aging criteria chosen. and attempting
to determine a biological age score for individuals
and different age groups.
This study was hampered bythe small number
of people involved and the lack of vital statistics on
the Marshallese people. Another difficulty has
been the uncertatnty of exact ages in some cases,
particularly in older people.
Data on aging criteria were recorded only on
adults 20 vears of age and over. Of the 126 adults,
42 were in the originally exposed group and 84 in
the larger comparison population. Table | shows
the age and sex distribution. The ages were reasonably well distributed except for a smaller number
of older people ( ~>60 years of age)
The age criteria chosen were based on changes
gencrally belreved to be associated with physiologcal senescence and represent only a small number
of the possible ones. They were selected witha
Table |
Age Distribution in Rongelap Adult Population, 1959,
Used in “MeineS
Studs
Exposed
Age. vr
M
F
M
F
20) 24
25-29
1)
2
5
1
1
12
6
6
12
21
30-34
3
2
4
13
35-39
40-44
45 49
50-54
55 59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
> 80
!
4
i
I
2
0
0
1
0
2
4
2
0
0
i
6
0
2
1
i
3
4
6
2
4
8
5
2
0
0
2
4
3
3
5
!
j
3
0
0
0
Total
i
15
b
1!
7
l4
3
%
1
4
126
view toward ease of assessment during routine
physical examination under field conditions, time
limitations, and language barrier. Therefore, unfortunately, tests of vigor and functional capacity
were necessarily limited.*
Ofthe 15 criteria selected. 9 were measured
directly and 6 were estimated on a 0 through 4+
scale. Five tests involved the integument: (1) skin
looseness, (2) skin elasticity (retraction time), (3}
senile changes in the skin, (4) greying of the hair.
and (5) baldness. Four tests involved the special
sense organs: (|) accommodation, (2) visual acuity,
(3) arcus senilis, and (4) hearing. The cardiovascular system was tested by (1) systolic and:(2)
diastolic blood pressure recordings, (3) peripheral
arteriosclerosis, and (4) retinal artenosclerosis
There was one test of neuromuscular function.
Vigor was measured by hand strength measurements, The test methods are described below.
Integument.
A special skin caliper was designed for measuring skin looseness and elasticity
(Figure 8). The legs of the caliper can be opened
to any desired degree up to 5 cm on scale 4 bvadjusting screw 8. The spring tension when thecali-
per 1s closed on a fold of skin results in a pressure
of about 5010 g. The inner and outer surfaces of the
iegs are calibrated in millimeter markings (C }.
“Several tesis. such as pulse and hlond pressure response to a
Iwo-step (est and vital capacity, were tried but not used because
they proved unsatisfactory