The remaining 16 veterans visited ANL during 1979, when they were interviewed regarding their participation (exposure scenario) and checked for
evidence of residual internal radioactivity that might be attributable to such
participation.

Whole-body and thorax gamma-ray counts were made looking

specifically for Cesium-137, a fairly long-lived fission product that
distributes throughout the body after intake.

Using different instruments,

similar measurements were made for Plutonium-239 in the thorax and skull.
While at ANL, the veterans also provided 24-hour urine specimens that were
analyzed for Plutonium-239 and Strontium-90.
None of the tests revealed internal radioactivity in excess of that found
in the general population.

Thus, the authors concluded that they had "no

evidence that these subjects received any significant internal dose from their

participation in the SMOKY weapon test" (6).
8.4

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STUDIES.
The NAS National Research Council (NRC) concluded two medical studies

pertinent to this report:

#

Studies of Participants in Nuclear Tests (1985),

known as the Mortality Study, and "Multiple Myeloma among Hiroshima/Nagasaki
Veterans" (1983).

This section discusses the procedures and findings of each

study.
8.4.1

Mortality Study.
Preliminary reports by the CDC in 1979 that a statistically significant

increase in leukemia incidence was occurring in the "SMOKY cohort" caused
considerable concern.

The Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) requested the Medical

Follow-up Agency of the NAS National Research Council (NRC), an independent
non-Government agency, to undertake a study of this issue.
study were left to the NRC.

The details of the

Funded by both DNA and DOE, the effort was to

determine whether participants at nuclear tests other than SMOKY were also
experiencing an increased incidence of leukemia, other cancers, or any other

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