were exposed to the fallout, there is a much higher incidence of thyroid cancer in those people. I think there were 7 in 1977, I don't know how many there are now. Buck: There were 7 cases of thyroid cancer. Bair: There were 7 cases of thyroid cancer in 239 Marshallese in 1977. I don't know how many have occurred since then. Muller: In our records, I think we have, I feel we have heard about 460 or so cases of thyroid abnormality in our population over this period; and, so we think that our population is now something around 32,000. So, that seems to be much different than what you said, well actually Marshallese population differs in no degree from say Yap in an incidence of thyroid disorders. ‘Bair: My number was only thyroid cancers. thyroid abnormalities. That is much different than the There is no relationship that scientists know about. now between nodules and cancers. They appear to be independent. Different populations around the world have different numbers of thyroid abnormalities but their incidence of cancer is not that different, is not different. Muller: It is fairly uniform. No, I was speaking about thyroid operations. thyroid operations. There have been 460 In Japanese records of the time that they. were in the Marshall Islands, we've checked those, and the number of incidences of thyroid disorders during that time was not near what it has been now in this recent time in our records. Bair: That is probably because you are more concerned about thyroid abnormalities and so you are looking harder for them. And when you Took harder for something you find more of them. Muller: Well, I have not conducted any vast research in this subject so it's not because of my interest or lack of interest that these figures seem to be this way, but thank you for your reply. 57 NOE ARCHIVER