How come the ERDA doctors told us that there was just a little bit of radiation in Utirik and a lot in Rongelan? That is, way are there the sane mupbes of malignant thyroid glands in Utirik as there are in fonrvrel an? The doctors from ERDA have told us that there were 1) rads in Utirik and 175 rads in Rongelan, therefore, We are very surpriz ed, because in Utirik we have ten cases th wack h of thyroid nodules- ,? three of wnich were malignant. But an in» sla Blane but vor slay ave thirty cases of thyroid nodules, and also three cases of mMaligmancr, " ernaps you can tell us if there is some exolanation for the same munber . thyroid cases in Rongelap and Utirik, who received very different levels of melienant . of radiation? o 2 ’ . roe - The radiation dose to the thyroid glands was higher than the dose to the rest of the body because of selective absorption by the thyroid of radioiadines inhaled and ingested from conteminated food and water at the time of the Fallout. The radiation dose to the thyroid glands of the _Utirik people was estimated to be about 30 rads for edults and betsveen 30 and 90 rads for children compared with 335 rads for adults end up to ‘700 - 1400 rads for children exposed on Rongelap.: By the time the people returned. to Uririk the radioiodines had virtually diszszpeared so that no further significant thyroid exposure was possible to enyone living on the island at that time. The development of thyroid cancer in the Utirik people within the past few years was unexpected. Statistical comparison of thyroid cancer inci-~ dence at Utirik with the larger experience of the United States indicates that radiation very likely was involved. Accordingly 1t was recommended to the Department of Interior that all Utirik people who have thyroid operations be considered for compensation similarly to the Renzelap people. Compared with limited data on the unexposed Marshallese populations there has been only a very slight increase, if any, im non-cancer thyroid nodules in the Utirik people. quam» ppd § The three cases of thyroid cancer in the Utirik