Ll
Table 2
Ophthalmological Findings (% incidence)
Exposed
Pterygium
~
Pinguecula
Corneal pigment
Corneal! scars
Arcus senilis
Dacryocystitis
Phthisis bulbi
Nystagmnus
Pannus
Strabismus
Molluscum contageosum
Argyll-Robertson pupil
Keratitic precipitates
Cataracts
Aphakia
Vitreous opacities
Retinal arteriosclerosis
Choroidal sears
Macular degeneration
Driisen
Cor.genital anomalies
Macrocornea
30.5
24.4
6.1
9.8
29.2
1.2
3.6
0.0
1.2
7.3
3.6
1.2
1.2
12.1
6.1
8.5
10.7
4.8
2.4
1.2
3.6
15.9
Unexposed
16.3
15.3
4.8
8.6
12.5
0.0
1.0
1.0
0.0
{.0
3.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.9
0.0
9.6
1.9
0.0
2.4
i.0
14.4
Slit-lamp observations revealed no opacities of
the lens in the exposed people like those seen in
the irradiated Japanese.'*:'* Also, no differences
between the exposed and the unexposed groups
were noted in visual acuity or accommodation.'®
A high incidence of such conditions as pinguecula
and pterygium has been noted in the exposed
group. This finding may have nosignificance, but
it is not known whether the exposureof theeyes
to beta irradiation in 1954 from fallout could have
played an etiological role.
It is of interest that no cases of glaucoma were
noted. The incidence of myopia was very low,
as was the incidence of retinal arteriosclerosis,
squint, and deficiency in color vision. Of interest
formation. However, improvement was noted in
most lesions and in no case was there any aggravation of the lesion or tendency to develop chronic
radiation dermatitis, or any change that appeared
to be malignant or premalignant. In view of the
generally favorable progress of the lesions, no
biopsies for microscopic study were taken onthis
survey.
Laboratory Examinations
Hemetological - Routine. The basic hematological data are presented in Tables 3 to 6. The
mean blood counts of the exposed people and of
the various comparison populationsare shown for
the 4-year period since March 1954. In Figure 7
are plotted the mean of two separate absolute
blood counts on the exposed groupscarried out
. during the 4-year survey, along with mean levels
for other post-irradiation intervais; the opencircles represent the mean values for the comparison
population. The blood data have been classified
as in the past according to age and sex.* The.
following represent the findings on the more
heavily exposed Rongelap group compared to
thase on the unexposed Rongelap people.
wesc. The mean WBCwas slightly higherin
both exposed and unexposed groupsin both the
<5 and >5 year age groups compared with the
levels a year ago (see Table 3 and Figure 7). The
exposed level is about the same as the control
level.
The neutrophils showed a furtherslight decrease
in the exposed group since a year ago (Table 3,
Figure 7). These counts in most cases reached a
peak at i to 2 years post-exposure and declined
during the following 2 years. In fact the counts
this year are the lowest since the maximum depression occurred at 6 weeks post-exposure. In
spite of this observation, the counts show little
difference (5% less) from those in the unexposed
group. A scattergram (Figure 8) age distribution
was the findingof a large numberof adults and
children with large corneas, and anomalies of the
retinal vascular patterns.
Sex
Age,yr Rongelap Ailingnae
Unexposed
Rongelap
Examination of the Skin
Twelve cases continued to showresidualevidence of beta lesions of the skin. These were for
the most part mild and consisted ofslight atrophy
and pigmentaberration. A few lesions showed
scarring and atrophy withslight adhesion of the
skin to subcutaneous tissues, and lack of pigment
*Leukocytes:
Platelecs:
both
<3
M
<10
both >3
M
F
Hematocnis: M
M
F
8
2
3
56
16
B80
>I0
ail ages
<15
22
33
12
5
li
2
40
34
17
all ages
33
li
3+
15
9
19
2
35
{0
3+