14

were foundin the exposed Marshallese (none over
1%).
The hematocrit values showed a tendency toward
anemia in both the exposed and unexposed groups
(Table 6). The males >15 years of age showed
the greatest difference with a mean hematocrit of
38.7, which was 5.6% below the unexposed mean

for this age group. There were 53% of the exposed and 46% of the unexposed people who had
hematocrits of less than 37. As with the leukocytes,
there was a drop in the hematocrit levels (5 to
10%) compared with the two-yearlevel.
Reticulocyte counts. In the exposed group 15.7%
showedreticulocyte counts of 3% or more. In the
unexposed group 24.4% had values this high. In
the Utirik group 64% had values of 3% or more.
In no case were reticulocytes greater than 5%
observed.
Sickling tests showed no sickling tendency in any

of the people.
Blood groups. Examination of 137 blood samples
from the Rongelap people (exposed and unexposed) showed the following: blood group O, 59%;

A, 20%; B, 16%; and AB, 5%. The distribution of

these groups was about the same in the exposed
and unexposed people. All blood samples examined were Rh positive. There were no “V” groups
characteristic of the Negroid race.** The distribution of these blood groupsis similar to that seen
in the Asiatic races.*
Bone marrow smearson fourirradiated and four
unirradiated people showed no abnormalities or
deficiencies of cellular elements.
Counts in the Ailingnae group. As can be seen from
Table 6, the 18 Ailingnae people showed a blood
picture similar to that of the other exposed Rongelap people. WBC and neutrophils were as high
as in the unexposed groups with slightly lower
lymphocyte levels. The platelets in the males (but
not in the females) wereslightly below the unexposed level. The mean hematocrit values were
slightly higher than in other exposed Rongelapese
and about the sameas in the unexposed group.
This group also showed the same depression of
leukocytes compared with last year’s levels.
Counts in the Uturik group. It is apparent from
Table 6 that the peripheral blood elementsin the
*We are most grateful to Dr. Amos Cohan, Director, Knickerbocker Foundation, Inc., New York City, for carrying out the
blood group studies.

S00 4206

Utirik people were as highas or, in mostcases,
higher than the unexposed Rongelap level. This
group is in fact more comparable with the twoyear Rita control group.
Immune response: Primary and secondary tetanus antttoxin production. The data shownin Table 7 are expressed in international units of tetanus toxin
neutralized by 1 ml serum. The averagetiter of
the irradiated group was about three timesless
than the average titer obtained from the unirradiated group. However, the irradiated group
had 25% greater responseto the second stimulus
than did the unirradiated group. Statistical analysis indicated that the difference in either case was
not significant. *
Blood chemistry: Proteins. Total serum proteins as
measured byspecific gravity and refractometer
showed unexpectedly high levels in both exposed
and unexposed groups. There was no difference
in total protein or electrophoretic pattern of proteins between the exposed and the unexposed
people. The mean total serum proteinsfor the
pooled groups are presented below:
Group

Exposed Rongelap

Unexposed Rongelap

Utirik

FALLING DROP

PROTEINOMETER

METHOD (SP.GR.)

(GMSPROTEIN)

1.0303

7.99

1.0312

8.36

1.0294

7.67

Blood proteins of the sera from 37 people (19
exposed and 18 unexposed) examined electrophoretically showedthe following mean distribution of albumin andthe various globulin groups
(expressed in grams based onthetotal proteins):**
GLOBULIN
ALBUMIN ALPHA]
Marshallese

Normal (American)

3.9

4,2-4.6

0.27

ALPHA

Beta

0.6

1.0

0.18-0.27 0.4-0.6 0.7-0.9 ¢

It can be seen that the increase in proteinsis
largely due to the gammaglobulin fraction. Figure 16 is a representative pattern of one of the
Marshallese with a normal American pattern
superimposed.
*Weare grateful to Dr. R.D. Stoner of Brookhaven National
Laboratory for carrying out the serum titer determinations.
**We are indebted to Lt. D.R. Davis (MSC) USN of the Naval

Medical Schoolfor the electrophoretic analyses.

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