possibly wasrelated to their previous dramatic experience with epilation.
The Marshallese appeared to haveverylittle
neurosis or psychosis. One young manin the unirradiated group had been diagnosed as having
schizophrenia but only occasionally did he cause
trouble.
The living conditions of the people weresatis-

factorv. They were furnished sufficient food and
their quarters were comfortable.
The second phase of the survey at Utirik Island
showedthat the general health of the Utirik people appeared to have been good during the previ-

ous three years. There had beenfive deathsin the
group. The causes of the deaths could not be ascertained because ofthe inexperienceof the health
aides. As with manyother reports of death in the
Marshallese records, the cause “old age” was
about all that could be obtained.
Physical Findings

The people both in the exposed and in the unexposed groups appearedto be generally in good
physical condition and in satisfactorystate of
nutrition. In Table ! are listed the average values
with standard deviations of height and weight of
individuals from age 20 to 50 (including the Utirik
group). A somewhatgreater weight of the Utirik
female is significant (Utirik versus unirradiated
Rongelap, P<(0.05). The cause for this difference
is not apparent. The low standard deviation of
heights for both sexes suggests considerable homogeneity in these populations. Height and weight
in the children will be described below under
growth and developmentstudies.
In Table 2 are listed the major diagnosesforall
these groups. In general, no diseases appear to be
associated with radiation exposurein the Rongelap
people. Major diseases are as prevalent in the unirradiated group asin the irradiated group. No
increase in degenerative diseases and no malignancyin the irradiated Rongelap people wasevident. Extensive dental caries was present in all
the Marshallese, related largely to poor oral
hygiene.
The incidence of congenital abnormalities

(Table 2) seems unusually high. The exact nature
of the abnormalitiesis listed in Table 3, Only in

the case of congenital shortening of the fifth
metacarpal was a definite familial pattern apparent. With only these four cases, however, the

960 i201

Table 1

Mean Height and Weight in Adults (20 to 50 years old)
Height,in.
Males

Rongelap

63.4+2.8

Utirik

63.92.1

Unexposed Rongelap

Weight, lb
1374158

64.1+1.8

140+22.9

Rongelap

59.5415

114418

Utirik

59.6+1.7

132221

Females

Unexposed Rongelap

60.0+#2.2

1374195

Lil+24

mannerof inheritance was not clear except that
it is not a simple Mendelian dominant. Of general
interest was the absence of peptic ulcer. The
director of the hospital at Majurofelt that peptic
ulcer was almost unknown in the Marshallese.
Comparedto an incidence throughoutlife in the
American populace estimated at 6%, this is an unusual finding. Perhapsthe tranquil life without
responsibilities and without the pressures of modern living exerts a favorable influence in this regard. Landis the only real wealth in these islands,
and a complex system of matrilineal inheritance
engendersfeelings of security, since every Marshallese is assured rights to enough landto provide
adequate food.* Electrocardiograms were taken
on individuals for whom it appeared indicated
and on all persons over the age of 40. Results
showed an unsuspected stereotype among tracings
other than those called abnormal - more so than
one would expectto see in as random a sampling
in the U.S.; and a general age appearanceofthe
normal tracings younger than expected. From the

magnitude and direction of the T vector one
would expect most of these people to be 30 to 40
years of age, and none of them seemed elderly.*
The young appearance of the ECG’sis in contrast
to the physical impression that these people age
quickly.
Growth and Development

Longitudinalstudies of anthropometric data
have not been completely analyzed and will not

be presentedat this time. Cross-sectional data for
height, weight, and bone development are pre-

*Dr. Robert Grant of the National Institutes of Health generously interpreted the tracings.

Select target paragraph3