-5should be included. There was extensive discussion of these points at the March 1976 survey and it had beeb hoped thet the issucs had bbeen cabtisfactei ily explained, Ss letter was writte * to the Mcshallese congressizan (ir. Balos) about these ericvances cestesptel J. gees ol. . (copy enclosure 3). In spite of the above complaints the people on Utirik and Rongelap during the March visit were most friendly. 2) A second Law (now before pur Congress) concerns further compensation for the exposed Marshallese for vadiation effects, particularly thyroid surgical cases. Enclosure 4 presents the status of the bill. Revelopment of thyroid tenors in the Utiril nopulation: . Cil- ination of the unrest was related to the development of the thyroid effects on the Utixik people, When, in 1969, a thyroid cancer was discovered da Uririk woran its relation to radiation e., osuve was considered to be unlikely particularly since the thyreid tumor incidence was generally not in2 erceesed in this exposed population. The people were so informed. In 1975 @ second thyroid cancer was surgically removed from a Utirik woman and it becan... é:parnt that perhaps, indecd, radiation exposure was playing a role. This pos*ibility was confirmed by stetistical experts. ERDA, the Department of Intericr and the Congress of Micronesia were infomned about this and it was recommnded that the Utirik thyroid surgical cases be included in the abeats: webieikd compensetion bill then being formulated. Between the March meeting and the June 1976 querterly trip of the BNL resident physician a third case of thyroid cancer in a Utirik wovwan was operated upon and returned to Utirik at the time of the June trip. A lottex to the spouse of this patient explained her con- dition and that her name was being submitted to the Department of Interivur for consideration for compensation purposes. This third case of cincer of the thyroid makes the risk per rad for thyroid cancer in the Utirik population