the Committee position that whether or not "damage" can be proven is irrelevant, since it is a fact that exposure occurred, and that since exposure to radiation is harmful, then it is highly probable that damage did indeed occur, Therefore the assumption of the Committee is that exposure itself--whi ch is well documented--is basis, or grounds ay EE enough for compensation and that damage as such need not necessarily a be proven, Psychological Effects of the 1954 Incident. During the annual examination by Dr. Conard in March 1973, the Committee passed out questionnaires to the Rongelapese and Utirikese living on Majuro, Ebeye, Rongelap and Utirik. These questionnaires and the results they yielded should not be assumed to be scientifically accurate, or statistically significant. The results are valuable, however, for they confirm certain general impressions received by the Committee from the Rongelapese and Utirikese, - Of 35 exposed Rongelapese people who filled out questionnaires, 23 said they did not understand what had happened and 26 said that no one explained the incident to them, When asked if they felt sick after returning to their island 30 people responded in the affirmative. Eleven women gave a positive reply to the question "Did you ever have a baby or babies born dead or born with something wrong after the bomb," and 19 women said they knew of other women who had such problems, The question was asked if they knew of anyone that they thought had died from the bomb and 24 responded "tyes", listing the following people: PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL R EMOVED -29- aEee Rar: oom apr o ee “ ye ahie oe MAme a f m4. . SE ad wm veOT te i ‘ reo. Be HeeLE 2 fe ta, Doe Ne