UNITED STATES
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C,
20545
MAY 12 1966
4092 738
Mr, John T. Conway
Executive Director
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy
Gongress of the United States
-
Dear Mr. Conway:
This is to provide you with the most recent information on the occurrence
of nodular thyroid abnormalities among the 69 surviving Marshallese
Islanders exposed to fallout on March 1, 1954. Dr, Robert Conard of the
staff of the Medical Department of the Brookhaven National Laboratory has
just returned from the Marshall Islands where he and his team during
February-March 1966 conducted the latest of the continuing series of-
medical examinations of these people,
Our las: letter on this subject, dated October 26, 1965, advised that a
cumulative total of 11 Marshallese had been found to have nodular thyroids av the conclusion of the medical survey conducted during August
lvos,. A nodular thyroid was first detected during the survey of February
1983.
The just=-concluded survey has disclosed five additional people with
noduies, This brings to 16 the number of diagnosed cases of nodular
thyroids among the 69 survivors of the original 82 at risk. Tle age
Gistribution of incidence is shown below,
Age act
Exposure
Number
Exposed
1-5
6-10
11<15
16-20
Total Incidence of Nodules
through March, 1966
Number
Percent
16
9
7
5
> 20
9
4
0
0
32
56
44
-
3
9
_9
16
ry 25
Fifty-five of the 09 were on Rongelap Island and received estimated’ whole
pong? ody doses of 175 R plus possible doses of 700 to 1400 rem to their thyroids
.
Raencter any
+tings
“from the radioiodine,
The remaining 14 were visiting on Ailingnae, a nearby
island, and received estimated 69 R whole body exposures plus less certain,
but probably smaller thyroid doses,
None of the six children (1-10 years
of age) who were with the group on Ailingnae has shown nodules, but one of
the—three-adults inthe tahie was on Ailingnae,.
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