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Lymphocytesfell promptly and bythe third
day were about 35% of the control values in
adults, and slightly lower in children. There was
only slight recovery by six months. At 2 years,
although further recovery was evident, the mean
values of these cells were still found to be below
the comparison populationlevels (75 to 80%). The
3-year examination showed that the lymphocytes
werestill-somewhat below the level of the unexposed population.
Neutrophil levels fluctuated considerably during the first few weeks but fell gradually to a low
of about 50% of control values by the 6th week
after exposure. Slow recovery ensued, but at 6
months they werestill slightly below the unexposed levels. However, by | year post-exposure
they had returned to the level of the comparison
population and havesince remained so.
Platelets fell to about 30% of the unexposed
values by the 4th week. By 6 monthsthey had
reached 70% of the controls; at 1! year the mean
platelet count was still below that of the control
population but higher than at the 6-month survey.
Although further increases were apparentat the 2and 3-year examinations, the levels were still
below those of the comparison population.
Changes in hematocrit were not remarkable in
any of the groups.
Clinical observations revealed no diseases processes or symptoms which could beattributed to
radiation effects, aside from skin lesions, loss of
hair, and early symptoms. The diseases encoun-
tered were no moresevereor frequentin theirradiated than in the unirradiated population, even
during the period of greatest depression of peripheral blood elements. Epidemics of chicken pox,
measles, upper respiratory infections, and gastroenteritis have occurred, but apparently with no
greater frequencyorseverity than in the unexposed populations. Two personsdied in the exposed population. One was a 46-yr-old man with
hypertensive heart disease which had been present
at the time of exposure, who died twoyears after
the accident. The second was a 78-yr-old man
whodied, three years after exposure, of coronary
heart disease complicating diabetes. There was no
apparentrelationship between these deaths and
radiation exposure, and mortality in the exposed
group did not appear to have been greater than in
the unexposed population.
It is difficult to evaluate the effects of exposure
on fertility; however a numberof apparently normal babies have been born, and there has been no
discernible fall in the birth rate. Several miscarriages developed, but the incidence does not appear to be higher than in the unexposed populations. No opacities of the lens or other eye changes
have been found that could berelated to radiation. Studies on height and weight and bone age
seemed to show slight degree of retardation in
growth and developmentin the exposed children.
However, the small numberof children involved,
anda later finding that exact ages of someofthe
children were in doubt, permits no definitestatements to be made.
Beta Irradiation of the Skin
No accurate estimate of the radiation dose to
the skin could be made. Lesions of the skin and
epilation appeared about2 weeks after exposure,
largely on parts of the body not covered by clothing. About 90% of the people had these burns and
a smaller number developed spotty epilation.
Mostofthe lesions were superficial; they exhibited
pigmentation and dry,scaly desquamation and
were associated withlittle pain. Rapid healing
and repigmentation followed. Somelesions were
deeper, showed wet desquamation, and were more
painful; a few becamesecondarily infected and
hadto be treated with antibiotics. Repigmentation of the lesions gradually took place in most
instances, and the skin appeared normal within a
few weeks. However, in about 15% of the people.
deeperlesions, particularly on the dorsum ofthe
feet, continued to show lack of repigmentation
with varying degrees of scarring and atrophyof
the skin. At 3 years 14 cases continued to show