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in 1946, This move was thought to be temporary. But the island was used for
continuing tests, and by the time of the testing moratorium in 1958, was too
contaminated for rehabilitation. Instead, attempts were begun to
decontaminate the island. The resettlement of the Bikini people has been
fraught with difficulties. The people were not happy on the islands to which
they were moved. An attempt to recolonize several families on Bikini had to
be abandoned when it was found that radiation levels on the island were
higher than previously reported. In the meantime, the United States has
allocated funds to the Bikini people to make their atoll safe for habitation.
It will probably be several years before either Bikini or Rongelap areinhabited again. Manyof the older people may neverrealize their dream of ©
returning to live on their homeislands. No matter how efficient the cleanup
and the rehabilitation of these islands, it seems likely that the people will
never be completely free of lingering fears and psychological effects
concerning the presence ofthis "poisonous white powder" that fell on their
islands.
.

We have been most fortunate in obtaining excellent physicians and
technicians, largely on a voluntary basis, to participate in the examinations,
and the program could never have succeeded over the years without their
help, as well as the staunch support of many agencies, particularly
Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Atomic Energy
Commission/Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the
Health Services of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
REFERENCES
1. Cronkite, E. P.. Bond, V. P.. Dunham, C. L. (Eds.): Some Effects of fonizing Radiation on
Human Beings: A Report on the Marshallese and Americans Accidentally Exposed to Radiation
from Fallout and a Discussion ofRadiation Injury in the Human Being, TID-5358, U.S. Atomic
Energy Commission, (Oak Ridge, Tenn.] (1956).
2 Conard, R. A,et al: A Twenty-Year Review ofMedical Findings in a Marshallese Population
Accidentally Exposed to Failout Radiation, BNL-50424, Brookhaven National Laboratory,

Upton, N.Y. (1975).

3. Conard, R. A,et al.: Review of Medical Findings in a Marshallese Population Twenty-Six Years
AfterAccidental Exposure to Radioactive Fallout, BNL-5|261, Brookhaven National Laboratory,

Upton, N.Y. (1980).

4. Conard, R. A.: Late radiation effects in Marshall Islanders exposed to fallout 28 years ago, pp.
57-71 in Bowe, L. D., Jr., Fraumeni, J. F., Jz. (Eds.): Radiation Carcinogenesis: Epidemiology
and Biological Significance, Raven Press, New York (1984).

5. Adams, W. H., Heotis, P. M., and Scott, W. A: Medical Status of Marshallese Accidentally
Exposed to 1954 Bravo Radiation: January 1985 through December 1987, BNL-52192,
Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y. (1989).

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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