P é5d Intelligence, Ine. WASHINGTON, D.C. Front Page Edit Page 20001 Other Page ZaLTIMORE, MARYLAND SUN MAY 28 1976 M -—- 178,205 — - 181,837 S - 340,098 . enone+ eine PT ieg. oe 22 years after Bikini nuclear blast Islanders still treated for radiation about 240 islanders, 28 Ameri- more than 35 per cent of the can servicemen and 23 Japa- people who were on Rongelap to ra- have developed radiation-innese fishermen Sus Staff Correspondent Kwajalein Atoll, the Mar- diation from the Bikini Atoll duced “thyroid lesions,” some shai Islands— Twenty-two test blast, of which have developed into Despite the nearness of cancer, Nineteen, like Mrs. years ago, the United States set off. on Bikim Atoll Mrs. Boas’s native island to Boas and her children, have here in the mid-Pacific, the Bikini, Rongelap's 86 resi- hadtheir thyroids removed. Thé thyroid cancers were largest thermonuclear blastit dents were neither warned of has ever exploded—a 17-me- the explosion nor offered pas- discovered eight years ago gaton device nearly a thou- sage to a more distant island. when two Rongelap youths sand times more powerful USS. officials said the radia- suddenly stopped growing, a than the bomb which leveled tion exposure was caused by a phenomenon eventually atsudden shift in wind which tributed to a radiation-inHiroshima in August, 1945. At the time of the Bikini blew the deadly fallout in an duced thyroid problem. direction. explosion, Ellen Boag was a Later, an 18-year-old boy “After the thunder, the big who had been a fetus at the 23-year-old mother of five, living peacefully on the re- red ball lasted for half an time of the explosion died of mete island of Rongelap, less hour, and then the white snow leukemia. More recently, docthan 100 miles east of Bikini, began to fall and it lasted for tors have discovered an inand more than 4.000 miles 12 hours,” said Mrs. Boas, crease in strange kidney diswho now has 13 children and 5 orders. Now they are confrom the US. West Coast. S.nce that memorable day grandchildren. “Soon our skin cerned about the unusual in March 1954. when she Started to itch and form blis- bumps on Mrs. Boas's head. In addition, an official of awcae wo a clap of thunder ters and one man went blind and saw “a dig bail of red in beeause he let the snow fall on the U.S. Energy Research and the western sky.” she and his eyes, hoping it would cure Development Administration said, “an undetermined numthree of her children have had his cataracts.” Since the explosion, which ber of others have died due to their thyroids removed because of radiation damage, was codenamed “Bravo,” medical reasons aggravated by the radioactive fallout.” and now Mrs. Boas is undergoing tests on suspicious One of the Japanese fishermen died in Tokyo of radiabumps that have begun to appear on her head. | tion sickness six months after the explosion. The fate of the Mrs. Boas, who spent the tga at the U.S. missile range other Japanese is unknown here recently as she began her here, and remarkably, the Enit ergy Research and Developthire voyage to American re- et Fourth in a series By MATTHEW J. SEIDEN 4 ment Admin ‘tration, which ¢ arch hospitals, was oneof has been conducting periodic tests of the Marshallese radiation victims, has not checked up on the 28 American vic- tims since initial tests made - in 1954. Meanwhile, the former res- ‘ idents of Bikini, who were tola by U.S.officials at the time of the test that they could return to their island within a year or two, now are suing the U.S. for a $1.5 milhon aeriai, radiological survey to determine if the island is safe for resettlement. The Energy Research ara : Development Administrat:on, which used to be known as the « Atomic iunergy Commission, says that Bikini “is safe to live on” except for the mud in the surrounding waters which is still “quite radioactive and highly dangerous.” The food chain, however,is “not seriously affected” in Bikini, according to the Energy Research and Development Administration. On other islands, the administration has warned peoplenot to eat coconuts, crabs, breadfruit and other staples of the Pacific island diet. “My clients don't trust the official U.S. scienusts who tell . them its safe to go home.’ See BOMB,A2, Zol. 6 CPPCC E 4 eee te 47109 LTA een ma caguepare sm evans semezegrarnamenine oo te,on < tae -! Bee yy 2 0s a ws?) semmepmgieenyee pyre Pgs OTTTeeros