ar CenaeLas 430 The Medical Research Co Inter Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, L, L, New York . enret2 EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR WAR MepicaL StatUs or Roncerar Prortzx 5 Years Arren Exposure To FaLlout RaplaTion Robert A. Conard, M.D., Head, Marshall Island Medical Surveys In March 1959 the regular annual medical survey was carried out on the Rongelap people who had received the heaviest exposure to radiocative fallout 5 years previously in the accident which occurred following the experimental detonation of a nuclear weapon. The examinations were conducted on Rongelap Island to which the people bad returned in July 1957. Qn their return, they were accompanied by an equally large group of unexposed relatives. This latter group has served as a comparison population for the medical studies. The Navy kindly furnished an mepositorny —8V4_ SEcorDS LST for the survey. COLLection IARSHALL support of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Department of Defense, ISLANOS BOX No. MEQ/CAL “DEPT. PUBLICATIONS FOLDER —=22/-292 These annual surveys are carried out under the direction of Brookhaven National Laboratory and sponsored by the Atomic Energy Commission with the and other governmental agencies. A team of 20 physicians, scientists, and technicians, specialists in the field of radiation medicine, carried out the survey on Rongelap Island. On arrival of the team at Rongelap there was some question in the minds of some of the people as to the necessity of having further examinations. Ob- Jections to the examinations were mainly directed toward their dislike of the blood sampling. It was also evident that the need for the examinations created some concern in the minds of the people about their health status. Some also were concerned about the radiological safety of their food and water for consumption. The people were reassured that their health was generally good and their food and water safe for consumption, and the Importance of continued examinations and treatment in order to help insure their continued good health was stressed. These explanations appeared to alleviate their fears and the people cooperated extremely well with the medical team in carrying out the examinations. . The examinations included medical histories, complete physical examinations, and blood and other laboratory examinations. In addition spectrographs of gumma ray activity were obtained from individuals measured in a steel room and from radiochemical analysis of urine samples in order to determine their body burdens of radionuclides. Analyses of the data are not complete and those data referring to this recent survey must be considered as preliminary in nature. In conjunction with the examinations, considerable medical and dental treatment of the people was carried out to the extent possible under field conditions. Following the accident, the Rongelapese had shown signs of significant ex- posure to radiation such as short-lived loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, depression of their blood forming tissues, multiple burns of the skin from beta exposure and internal absorption of fission products. Findings on the past survey revealed that the people have recovered from the acute effects of their radiation exposure. No diseases, illnesses, or deaths have occurred which could be directly related to their radiation exposure. The inci- dence of all diseases noted has been about the same in both the exposed and unexposed groups examined. The general physical condition of the exposed and unexposed people on the island appeared good and their nutritional status was satisfactory. During the past year one death occurred in a 35-year-old man, bringing the total deaths in the exposed group to 3 for the 5-year period. This represents a death rate about equal to that of the Marshall Islands as a whole (about 7 deaths per 1,000 population per year). Findings, previously reported, which were interpreted as suggestive of a slight lag in growth and development of the children during the first few years after exposure are being reevaluated based on more exact age data obtained on the past survey. The results of this evaluation are not complete enough to make any statements at present. One case of cancer (ovarian) developed in a 61-year-old female during the past year, the first case of cancer noted in either the exposed or unexposed populations. There is no reason to believe the cancer is related to radiation effect. Fertility does not appear to have been affected since the birthrate has been higher in the exposed than in the unexposed Marshailese. A somewhat increased prevalence of miscarriages and stillbirths has been noted in the exposed group, but due to the paucity of vital statistics on the Marshallese and the small number of people involved, no statistical analysis is possible. BEST COPY AVAILABLE