The fact that in the Marshail Islands thyrold cancer
is more prevalent in people exposed to lowerthan to higherlevels
of radiation is not widely known in the United States.
nearby Rongelap and Utirik atolls,
were severely contaminated with
ash-like fallout.
For many years people have de-
bated whether or not the Marshallese were deliberately exposed. The
canceris actually more prevalent in
the people who received low level
exposure than in the high level
group.?!
A questionable decision by the
had three ‘strange’ still born babies,
one ‘completely unrecognizable as
human.’ Also reported among
women on Likiep were ten other
babies that were not normal, a quite
high percentage of the population."*?4
official position is that upper level
Atomic Energy Commission allowed
the Utirik people to return to their
habited islands. Admiral Lewis
after three years. Little radiological
people from these islands, but the
both were declared safe despite
‘slight lingering radiation.”*??
babies, cancers, thyroid nodules and
environmental problems from sup-
winds changed suddenly after the
blast. depositing fallout on the in-
Strauss of the Atomic Energy Commission. at a press conference on his
retum from Bikini in 1954, said of
Bravo *’. . . at no time was thetesting out of control.’"” He added. “*No
test is made without a definite purpose and a careful determination that
is directed to an end result of major
importance....°*'§
Nevertheless. within hours of
their exposure (at Rongelap, 175
rems. and at Utirik. 14 rems) the
people began to suffer from nausea
and severe itching of the skin: skin
burns andloss of hair occurred in the
following weeks. Since then. 19 out
of 22 children exposed on Rongelap
atoll within six months of the Bravo
test in 1954 and the Rongelap people
cleanup was done oneither atoll, but
Some 20 years later, the Department of Energy has decided the is-
lands were notsafe. Shortly after the
northern Marshalls radiological sur-
vey was finished. Department of Energy scientists went to Rongelap in
early 1979 and told the people that
the northern islands in their atoll,
and
worry. that the dose of radiation re-
ceived at the island was too lowto
cause any harmful effects.
However, it has become apparent
that the theory was wrong... .
There 1s as much thyroid cancer at
Utirik as at Rongelap.“*?°
A 1976 Brookhaven annual report
confirmed the finding that thyroid
28
lems exist on the grounds that there
are no data.
cording to Kotrady. In his 1977 cn-
a finding that probably portends
trouble ahead.”''’
and other doctors tell them not to
not examine people from these other
islands, the government has been
able to deny that any health prob-
Tadioactive to visit. Moreover, the
used for food gathering, were too
Enewetak, Rongelap and Utink were
contaminated during the weapons
tests. But in 1978, the Department of
"For twentytwo years. the people
posedly unexposed atolls is steadily
growing. Because Brookhaven does
Even on Utirik and Rongelap.
Brookhaven has taken an extremely
Brookhaven states: ‘Recently about
50° of the exposed Rongelap people
showed hypothyroidism without
[of Utirik] have heard Dr. Conard
list of miscarriages, deformed
which for the past 20 years they have
Departmentof Energy survey shows
that islands in Rongelap—only 125
miles from Bikini—have radiation
have had surgery for removal of levels at least equal to, and in some
thyroid nodules. In 1972 a youth, cases higher than, an island at Bikini.
barely a year old at the time of his
Since the 1954 Bravo incident. the
exposure in 1954. died of myelogen- United States has stated unequivoous leukemia. A 1977 report by cally that only the atolls of Bikini,
clinical evidence of thyroid disease,
No medical program exists for the
Energy suddendly reversed itself
reported:
‘‘In
addition
to
Enewetak, Bikini and Rongelap
Atolls, there are eleven other atolls
or single islands that received inter-
mediate range fallout from one or
more of the megaton rangetests.”"*>
Oneofthese atolls in the nomhern
Marshalls is Likiep. According to a
careful report in the Micronesian In-
dependent, June 6, 1980:
“Out of 406 people wholive in
Likiep. there are documented reports that list nine women who have
given birth to babies with severe
mental retardation, one woman who
narrow view of the problems, ac-
tique he said:
‘*The original purpose of the program wasto be as broad as possible
to discover all possible effects. ...
Over the years, however, data from
various sources and opinionsof ex-
perts have assessed what Jong term
effects should be found in the
people. Thus the program seems to
Operate in a mode of looking for
those effects predicted by experts.
... It tends to focus on specific
areas, such as the thyroid and blood,
wherethe scientists expect effects to
occur.""*5
Much of the information con-
cerning low level radiation in the
Marshalls is relevant to the United
States, in view of the uncertainty
surrounding Three Mile Island, mil-
itary personne! exposed to nuclear
tests, and so forth. The fact that in
the Marshalls thyroid cancer is more
prevalent in people exposed to lower
than to higher levels of radiation is
not widely known in the United