nah

perienced in the field of atomic medicine having been participarts in pre=

vicas testing using biological caterial as well as having had fall time

research projects along this line during interim periods. This allows for
proper evaloation of human effects toward correlaticn with cata on animals
from which a great deal of our ideas on bucan effects have been extrapola-

ted.

Purther, they constituted an augmentation medical group for treatment

"if necessary in conjunction with station medical facilities. An additional
acventage was that almost all of the personnel had worked together as a unit
oc previous occasions.

8.

Hcne of the natives nor the Rongerik Americans had prelfainary or

early systeric aymrtoms consistent with radiation sickness from large dosage of external whole body irradiation. A reported case of vomiting and
a few cases of loss of appetite were no significant considering the sudden
change in environment end diet to which they were subjected. fo relieve

the load on the station medicalfacilities, not knowing of the early ar
Faval of the medical group, the twenty eight Americans were returned to

Enivetok to remain as octpatierts under the supervision of the Surgeon,
Tasx Group 7.2. Hlood counts were taken at approximately three day intervals. They remained asymptomatic although there began a depression of the
white blood cells of mild degree. They were returned to Kwajalein on 17
March. During the early days of March all patients remained free of sye~

-tecie symztoms attibutable to irradiation but there was a definite decrease in the white Ebed cell coumt more rarked in the Rongelap group.

The blood pictures of the Ailirginae natives anc the Rongerik Americans

were quite similar which was reasonable considering they were exposed to
the same order of magnitude of radiation. The Utirik group showed nothing
particular frem a medical standpoint and were considered as a virtually
mormal native population for cempariscn purposes pending time for ob=
taining base line data from non irradiated natives.

By the thirteenth and fourteexth day a tendency to epilate
had become evident in the Rongelap natives involving mostly children but
within a few days it bad arpeared in adults. The epilation was both patchy
and diffuse, confined mostly to the head and particularly in children the

scalp assumed a spotty appearance due to depigmentation of the skin.

—

C

a
ur

By

ue
a

ck.

ox

A systematic organization was set up with a view toward mn

enw *

i

Project hol.

ning a aick call, performing blood studies, taking histories, making physical examinetions amd documenting the cases by means of records and photo=
grephy. PBnaildings were furnished for these purposes by COMNAVSTAKKAJ and
his Staticn Surgecn, Commander W. J. Hall, worked closely with the group.
The establishzent of the investigating group of Project 4.1 was essential
and desirable from several standpoints. All the zedical personnel were ex~

ee

1B
om
de § rwew

Drs. G. V. Leroy and C. L. Dunham represented

the Division of Biolegy and Medicine, AEC, and were to act as advisors to

gy

Project 4.1, 70 13 of Task Group 7.1 with Comzancer EB, P. Cronkite, K,

USH, as Project Officer.

eer ane Or

\

the 0. S. Rawal Radiological Defense Laboratory and was established as

ant wear a mate recone GA

It consisted

ee Ne

The medical group arrived in Kwajalein om & March.

sents sb ney Pete. WO!hk Me. wh

7e

of military and civilian medical officers and technicians from the Naval
Medical Research Institute, the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project and

Select target paragraph3