the indigenous population.’ The ship reported that, in general, the
health of the Micronesians was “excellent” and nutrition and sanitation were “good.” The specific conditions discovered or verified by
the survey were proof, however, that the control and elimination of
disease was a long range problem.
The WHIDBEY statistics * showed that the most prevalent, widespread diseases were tuberculosis, intestinal parasitism, and yaws. Leprosy was of major importance throughout the area, filariasis and
encephalitis were found in small incidence in the Carolines, mental
disease occurred in only five individuals, venereal disease was practically nonexistent, and malaria was completely absent. Some measles
and meningitis were found among children. Dengue and typhoid
fever, which had previously been thought to be widspread, did not appear in any area. Among the miscellaneous diseases, the most preva-

lent were diseases of the skin, eyes, and respiratory organs: of wide
prevalence were degenerative joint diseases. inflammatory diseases of
the ear, neoplastic diseases, rickets and vitamin deficiency, and anemia.
Tuberculosis was out of control and was the most serious health
problem. Its high incidence on Saipan, where in 1947 and rgq48 the
deaths resulting from it exceeded the numberof deaths fromall other
causes, had been recognized for some time. but the WHIDBEYsurvey

produced alarming statistics from all other areas. Chest defects accurred in 4.5 percent of persons examined in the Saipan, Palau and
Marshall Islands Districts. Incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in
the various districts was: Saipan, 2 percent; Palau, 1.6 percent; Truk.
9.92 percent; Ponape, 1.7 percent; Marshalls, 0.8 percent. Incidence
on individualislands varied from Kwajalein’s 0.1 percent to Faraulep’s
6.8 percent; Saipan had 3.9 percent; Yap had 4.9 percent. Reaction to
tuberculin tests was exceptionally high: of the approximately go percent of the population tested in the Saipan, Palau and Marshall Islands
Districts, 46.5 percent had positive reactions: incidence for individual

islands varied from 6.7 percent for Elato to 84.5 percent for Yap.

Infra, p. 912 ff.
“Health Survey of the Tiust Territory of the Pacific Islands, roa8—19 sa, prepared by the
Medical Statistics Division, Bureau of Medicine and Surecr, Navy Department: hereinafter reterred to as Whidbey Report. Incomplete statistics for the Truk area were contained in Enel
(1) to MedOff USS Whidbey memo dtd 4 Jun 51.

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