25
lar disease was probably of lower incidencein the
Marshallese. There were two low readings in the
exposed group, one in a 63-year-old woman with
abdominal carcinosis and ascites of ovarian origin
and the other in an 81-year-old man ( #46) with
marked hypertensive and artertosclerotic cardivvascular disease.
4. Veins. There was nearly a total absence of
peripheral venous disease - thrombophlebitis,
phlebothrombosis, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids -
in both men and women. Only one individual
showed varicose veins in the lower legs, in minimal
degree.
5. Other Cardiac Conditions. No patients were
observed with luetic, metabolic, or nutritional
Table 17
Incidence of [Individuals With X-Ray Evidence
of Osteoarthrius in Rongelap, by Age and Sex
(Only those rated as 2+ or higher are included)
Persons with 2+ osteoarthritss
Age, yr
Nou. in
age group
—
a
Number
%
Q- 9
1n- 19
2U-29
30-39
40-49
28
23
t7
9
16
0
0
0
2
i
106
12
Males
30-59
ob
8
5
Total
5
4
Females
0-9
23
0
30-39
40-49
50-59
12
3
6
0
0
4
10-19
20-29
17
16
> 60
lt
Total
88
Total
51
40
33
21
19
14
16
194
Table 16 shows the major ophthalmological
findings. No major differences were found between the exposed and the unexposed groups except, as has been noted in the past, for a slightly
greater incidence of pterygil, pingueculae, corneal
scars, and pigmentation in the exposed group. As
a whole both groups showed vision and accommodation levels above the average in the United
States. The absence of glaucoma was also notable.
The incidence of retinal arterioscterosis, squints,
and congenital diseases was very low. No cases of
basal cell carcinomaof the eyelids or of retinitis
pigmentosa were seen.
The degree of changes in accommodation, visual acuity, arcus senilis, and retinal arteriosclerosis
have been plotted against age. The plots show no
obvious differences between the exposed and unexposed populations, (See Figures [9 to 22 and
further discussion in the section on aging. )
Sht-lamp examinations ofthe lens showed no
opacities tn the exposed Marshallese resembiing
those that had been noted tn the irradiated Japanese.
1. Osteoarthritis
The incidence of osteoarthritis, as indicated by
the hand and wrist x-ray survey, is shown, by age
and sex, in Table 17. The small number of indi-
8
viduals in the susceptible age groups precludes an
13
0
0
I
2
I
9
12
25
OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS
ARTHRITIS SURVEY
0
I
accurate estimation of the prevalence; however, it
Males Plus Females
Dv. 9
1O-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
30-39
60
forms ofheart disease. One evident case of inactive
rheumatic heart disease occurred in a boy of 14
years (276) with typical signs of mitral valvular
involvement and moderate cardiac enlargement.
He was symptom-free and hts electrocardiogram
was normal.
0
0
3.0
9.5
5.3
64.3
75.0
E29
does not appear to be grossly different from that
found in the United States white population
studied by Dr. Alice Waterhouse and cited by
Blumberget al.“ In accordance with generalclinical experience, there was no close correlation between x-ray findings and ciinical symptoms of
arthritis, t.e., subjects with quite advanced osteoarthritis as determined by x-ray often had no complaints referable to their joints.