I!
wl
counts and types, alkaline phosphatase staining,
queney of che Hyp! xveoe to be higher than in
and basophil counts of HK00 white cells showed ou
evidence of loukenua or leukemic tendency. One
chilebin the irradiated group had 3) basophils but
European populations thus far Cested and consistent with populations living near Che equator.
no other postive findings. Uhe cardiocas ular and
artdritts surveys, as well as the general results of the
physical examinations, have not shown any ap-
The distribution of haptoglobin types showed the
population to be relatively homogeneous. fraasferrin in ail sera were type CO) the comunon Euro-
pean type. B--fng-wo-budyre acd unary levels
parent increased incidence of degenerative diveases
showed the Marshallese to be the highest excre-
people.
ported, Levels in the exposed group were about
the same asin the unexposed group, and no correlation was found with body burden level of
in the exposed people. No radiation-induced
cataracts have been observed in anyofthe exposed
Genetic effects have not been specifically studied
because of the stnall number of peuple ins olved
No apparent cacdiation-induced genetic changes
have been detected on routine phvste al examunation in the first-generauon children of exposed
parents,
lors of this acid of any population thus far re-
cadionuclides: this indicates dat there is probably
flematetegical seroeys again showed considerable
Huctuation in the year-to-vear mean level of leukoevtes in both the exposed and unexposed groups.
no correlation with radiauion exposure, Glucuse-fphosphate dehydrogenase of the red cells appeared to
be deticient in the Marshallese Considerable caution must be exercised in evaluating the results of
these studies on venecucaily meherited charac terintics because of che snrrall number of samples
tested. Vhe data do seem to indicate relative
showed a marked decrease at the tune ol the 1060
with people of Southeast Asia.
The mean dewducyte level of the exposed group
homogeity ol the population and closest kinship
Phese data also
D years post ex posere, exposed peuple still had
may be usefhulas a base line showld weneue changes
appear in later generations, possibly related to
radiation exposure.
inean platelet levels LU to 15% below those of the
unexposed group. However, dymtpAucyte levels ap-
Results of other laboratory studies carried aut
during the 9-year survey included the tollowing:
survey (no unexposed people were exannned). The
reasons for these fluctuations are not apparent At
peared for the first tame to equal those of the unexposed group. Mean ervtfrocyte levels were also
slightly lower in the exposed peopte. Phese blood
elements tn the Athingnae group also showed sone
sliyht depression below the unexposed levels but
not quite so marked as seen in the Rongelap exposed group. A general anemic tendency was
noted in alltthe Marshallese, both exposed and
unexposed. Price-Jones curves, on the average,
showed a slight microcytic tendency. Serusiron
levels were generally normal. The fact that some
of the blood clements in the exposed group have
not yet returned ty the levels in the unex posed
vroup raises the possibility that a residual radiatian eect on the bone marrow persists, but other.
not immediately apparent, factors may be involved.
Studies uf genetically inherited charactertstics. Blood
grouping studies in the Marshallese showed a relauvely high B gene frequency, a high N gene tre-
quency, an extremely high R! gene frequency, and
total absence of Reif and Diego factors. “These
characteristics ditler from: those of Polynesians an
suggest relationship wath Southeast Asians and
Indonesians. féuptoglobin tudes showed the fie-
Serum protein tevels, as has been noted betore, were
generally on the high side of normal, the reason
for this ts nol apparent. Complement ficatean siudies
tor parainHluenza Lt, 2. and 3, respiratory syneittal,
psittacosis, and Q tever showed antibodies to ail
groups of viruses except that for Asian influenza,
which probably had not yet seriously involved the
people of the Marshall Islands. Phe antibody titers
appeared to be somewhat lower in the ex posed
people. Sediam levels in the urine andfood indicated
about the same consumpuon of NaCl as in -Amercans. Phe generally lower jacidence of hyper-
tension in the Marshallese aaght be related to the
fact that the former native diet was probably lower
insalt content than the present, more westernized
diet. [t will be interesting to sce whether the inci-
dence of hypertension will later mercase. Repeat
studies at froteim-boand iodine, tata evdine, and butanaleatractable tudine of the sera showed levels lower
than previously reported, and the previous higher
readings are thought to be ta error because of contaminated wlassware, although some readings were
stil somewhat hteh. Four cases of gfucuserid assoct
ated with elevated Advad savar were tound in the
unexposed population, which miditcated a rather