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