UNITED STATES
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20545
4027 60
July 12, 1965
MEMORANDUM FOR:
CHAIRMAN SEABORG
“COMMISSIONER PALFREY
COMMISSIONER RAMEY
COMMISSIONER TAPE
oe
s, JUL 15 B65
THROUGH GENERAL MANAGER7 W. Yrs nare
SUBJECT:
THYROID DISEASE IN RONGELAP ISLANDERS
During the week of July 5, 1965, the three Rongelapese who were
brought to this country for study at Brookhaven National
Laboratory were operated on at the Lahey Clinic, Boston. You
will recall that thyroid tumors were noted at the 1965 medical
examination of those exposed to fallout in March 1954 from the
Bravo Test.
The two teen-age boys were found to have each a solitary benign
tumor of the thyroid. These nodules were removed surgically.
The middle-aged woman was found to have a carcinoma of the
thyroid gland with some metastases to local structures,
total thyroidectomy was carried out.
is fair.
A sub-
In her case, the prognosis
She will be given 30 millicuries of Iodine-131
therapeutically to destroy persisting thyroid tissue,
It is interesting that the dose of radioiodine to the thyroid
gland in the case of the woman is estimated at about 160 rads,
or approximately one-tenth that to the glands of the youths,
Presently under consideration is the administration of dessicated
thyroid tablets prophylactically to all the Rongelapese who were
at Rongelap or Alinginae at the time of fallout.
vores MT PEREULL
STATUS
DATE
65 Sp
——
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Bova
NON-CCRP
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Pets.
Bros
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Director, Division of
Btotory
cc:
De
Charles L, Dunham, M.D.
amrd—Meri cine
US DOE ARCHIVES
Secretariat 626 US ATOMIC ENERGY
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Collection
COMMISSION
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