fallout from a nuclear device detonated at the Pacific Proving Ground
in the spring of 1954.

Fallout began to arrive 4 to 6 hours after burst,

anu at about 50 hours after burst, the natives were evacuated.

These

people were not aware they were being exposed to fallout, and were not
aware of its significance.
sgecial precautions.

They remained out of doors and took no

For example, they continued to drink wate» cul-

lected in open cisterns.

Early estimates of the maximum external doses

were about 175 roentgens and the maximum internal doses were estimated to be between 100 and 150 Rads to the thyroids. 6

Later recalcu-

lations of the thyroid doses in the smaller children due to radioiodine
indicated they may have been in the range of 700 to 1400 Rads. ;
During the past few years, abnormalities have been detected in
thyroid glands of some of the people exposed.

The following is quoted

from a report of the medical survey conducted in March 1966 of the
people of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls.
"Among the Rongelap people, in whom nodules of the thyroid gland
had first been detected three years ago, a further increase in cases
with nodules was noted.

There has been a total of 16 cases in the 69

people now living (of the original 82 people exposed),

15 in the more-

heavily-exposed group, and 1 in the less-exposed group.

Thirteen of

Rt

19 children in the more-heavily-exposed group, all of whom had been

Select target paragraph3