~6Results of examinations, The people of Rongelap and Utirik were found
to be generally in good health,
Their nutrition was reasonably good with no
apparent deficiencies of vitamins or other dietary components,
Fewer fungus
and other skin infections were noted and this was thought to be related to
the generally improved hygienic and sanitary conditions on the Islands,
Adult examinations,
In Table I (next page) are listed the incidences of
various physical abnormalities in the adult populations of Rongelap and Utirik
examined,
The general incidence of various abnormalities in the exposed people
did not appear to be significantly different from that in the unexposed people.
The incidence of moderate to severe arteriosclerosis was somewhat greater in
the exposed Rongelap group, but this might be accounted for by the fact that
there was a larger number of older people in this group.
No malignant lesions
were detected in either the exposed or unexposed groups,
Pelvic examinations
revealed the usual large number of cervical erosions, lacerations, etc, inthe
Marshallese women,
Rectal examinations revealed prostatic hypertrophy in several
older men but with no evidence of malignancy,
It was noted that there were fewer
infections of the skin than previously observed,
Pediatric examinations, A total of 212 children were examined,
This number
consisted of 25 children exposed on Rongelap, 32 children exposed on Utirik,
35 children born after the fallout to exposed parents, and 120 controls,
The list
of abnormal physical findings in the exposed and control groups of children have
been summarized in Table II, page 8,
Of particular interest was the develonment
of a palpable nodule in the thyroid gland of a 12 year old girl (#17), who had
been exposed to fallout irradiation on Rongelap,
has been planned,
Histological study of the nodule
During the poliomyelitis epidemic on these atolls,
in the study developed symptoms and signs suggestive of poliomyelitis,
23 children
Residual
weakness of muscle groups was evident in 13 of these children at the time of the
examinations,