Table |
Summary of Marshallese Populations ExaminedSince 1954
Group

No.in group

Series

CoMPARISON POPULATIONS

1954 April
1956

Majuro
Rita

115 (adults and children)
57
oon
"

1958

Rongelap

170

1957

1964

Rongelap

100

Rongelap

"

on

"

170 (age >10 only)

"

700-817
1000-1082
801-900

801-970

801-1058

ExPosED POPULATIONS

Rongelap (175 r)

Ailingnae (70 r)
American servicemen
Utirik (14 r)

67 (includes 3 in uéero; annual exams)

19 (includes 1 i utero; annual exams)
28 (examined 1954 only)
157 (examined every 3 to 4 years)

1-86

t-86
401-428
2101-2257

UNEXPOSED CHILDREN (<_ 10 YEARS AS OF 1964)
Rongelap & Ailingnae

45 (exposed parents)

Utirik

20 (exposed parents)

Rongelap

73 (unexposed parents)

87-136

801-1058

2258-2278

as in the previous surveys, a visit was made to
Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls for examination of a
number of Rongelap people, nowresiding at these
atolls, and also groups of children whorepresent
part of the control group used for the growth and’
developmentstudies of the exposed children.
Table 1 lists the various populations that have
been examinedsince 1954.

Duringthe first 24 to 48 hr after exposure, about
*% of the Rongelap people experienced anorexia
and nausea. A few vomited and had diarrhea. In
appendix 10 the individual histories of nausea
and vomiting are tabulated. Many also experienced itching and burningofthe skin, and a few
complained of lachrymation and burningofthe
eyes. Following this, the people remained asymp-

becomingincreasingly voluminous. Since conditions have not been favorable for performanceof

when cutaneouslesions andloss of hair developed,
due largely to beta irradiation of the skin. It was
apparent whenthe people were first examined, a
few days after exposure, that the lymphocytes
were considerably depressed and thatsignificant
doses of radiation had probably been received. In
addition to the whole-body dose of radiation and

The accumulation of data from these surveysis

extensive statistical analyses or use of electronic

computing proceduresto store and manipulate the
data, the annual survey reports published bythis
Laboratory are made as complete as possible. This
report, therefore, includes a considerable amount
of raw data, much of it in appendices, so that
others may have an opportunity to makefurther
calculationsif desired.

Summary of Past Findings
Reports have been published on the findings of
surveys madeat the following times after exposure: initial examination,’ 6 months,’ I year,’ 2
years,’ 3 years,’ 4 years,® 5 and 6 years,’ 7 years®
and 8 years.® The following is a brief summary of
the findings previously reported.

5600185

tomatic until about 2 weeks after the accident,

the beta irradiation of the skin, radiochemical an-

alyses of the urine showed that measurable
amountsof radioactive materia! had also been absorbed internally. The effects of the radiation can
best be summarized under three headings according to the mode of exposure: penetrating irradiation, skin irradiation, and internalirradiation.
PENETRATING RADIATION

Oneofthe earliest findings indicative of signifi-

cant exposure in these people was lowering of

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