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WASHINGTON, D.C. 20545
MAY 12 67
MEMORANDUM FOR CHAIRMAN SEABORG
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON
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COMMISSIONER RAMEY
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RECENT INFORMATION ON THE STATUS: ®F THYROID DISEASE IN THE
MARSHALLESE EXPOSED TO FALLOUT FROM THE BIKINI TEST OF
MARCH 1, 1954
Since our last memorandum on this subject dated January 17, 1967, the
complete annual medical survey of the people of Rongelap Island has
peen carried out by a team of physicians from the United States and the
Trust Territory headed by Dr. Robert A. Conard of the Medical Department
of Brookhaven National Laboratory.
One new case with a thyroid nodule was discovered.
This additional case
was in a 17-year old boy who had been away on an outlying atoll and,
consequently, had not been examined for several years. At this time, in
the group exposed at an age of less than ten years, 16 of a total of 19
children (84 percent) have developed thyroid pathology.
Of these 16
children, two have displayed hypothyroidism.
It appears that these two
boys showing growth retardation have had a spurt in growth under treat-
ment with thyroid hormone.
The remaining 14 children have had thyroid nodules.
treated surgically.
Nine have been
These nine children plus two adults who have
received surgery were all found to be in good condition with no further
apparent thyroid abnormalities.
Five children with thyroid nodules are
receiving thyroid medication.
The thyroid nodules in two of these
children showed significant regression; of the other three, one is the
new case, and the other two children are not feit to have received an
adequate trial on this therapy. A decision regarding surgery has been
postponed until intensive thyroid hormone medication can be tried.
Dr. Conard reports no other noteworthy medical findings and no unusual
illnesses or diseases that could be related to radiation effects.
C. L. Dunham, M.D., Director
Division of Biology and Medicine
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