Henry I. Kohn, MD. PhD RONGELAP REASSESSMENT PROJECT June 28, 1988 Dr. T. J. Muckle Director of Laboratories Chedoke Hospital Division Box 2000, Station A Hamilton, Ontario L8N 325 wf Dear Dr. Muckle, I have done some more thinking about the blood-cell counts of the Rongelap people, a matter which Dr. Rosalie Bertell asked you to comment on. You will recall that 82 Rongelap people were exposed to fallout in 1954, were then moved to Majuro Atoll where they remained until 1957, and were then moved back to Rongelap. During this period (1954-57), non-exposed Rongelap people were also living on Majuro and their blood counts are therefore of interest as controls. In addition, blood counts on the Majuro people themselves and on people living on Rita (an island in Majuro Atoll) are also of interest as controls. The enclosed table shows blood cell counts for these control groups during the period 1954-57 (before return). You will note that the monocyte count of the Rongelap controls was low prior to return, but after return rose to the normal range. Radiation, therefore, had nothing to do with this change. The monocyte count was also somewhat low in the other two control groups. You also commented on a difference in lymphocyte count between the first years on Rongelap and 1982-86. Please look again at the data including the Majuro controls in 1982-86. They show a similar change, but were never on Rongelap. Looking over all of the results in this table leads me to suggest that the fourth paragraph of your letter (which has been quoted by Dr. Bertell) is not warranted now. I refer to the sentence, "I think what may be shown here is the effect of long-continued exposure, which may indeed be quite different from the late effects of acute but transient exposure." 500069) 1203 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley 0 CA 94709 (415) 526-0141