we,
®
‘DOB ARCHIVES ©
~
3
=
Gy. S93
Dr.
.
.
Conard explained that the reason the thyroid gland
received a much larger dose than the whole body is because of
.a@ process called selective absorption by the thyroid of radioactive iodine from food and water ingested by the Marshallese
following the fallout.
The five Marshall’ Islanders arrived at Brookhaven National
Laboratory on August 26, where they were carefully and thoroughly
examined, including whole body counts which were normal.
In
addition to Dr. Brown Dobyns, who performed the surgery, other
consultants included Dr. Shiclds Warren and Dr. William A.
Meissner, both with the Cancer Research Hospital, New England
Deaconess
Robbins,
Hospital,
Boston;
Dr.
J.
Edward Rall and Dr.
both with the National Institutes of Health;
Bentley Colcock,
Leahy Clinic,
Boston;
and Dr.
Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital.
John D.
Jacob
and Dr.
Reid,
:
Accompanying the five patients to this country was Dr.
Ezra Riklon, practitioner from the Marshall Islands which are
under the jurisdiction of the Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands.
Dr. Riklon participated in the examinations and
exposed.
It is hoped that the thyroid hormone treatment will
consultations and was present in the operating room for all
operations.
Upon return to the Marshall Islands he will supervise the thyroid hormone treatment of all people who were
not only prevent the development of further malignancies, but
also heip overcome the growth retardation in the children who
have shown it.
Dr. Conard noted that some enhancement of
growth has taken place since the treatment was started in 1965.
Generally, the exposed population is in good health and
good spirits.
Over the years a number of deaths have occurred,
but none were attributed to the fallout or its effects.
;
Dr. Conard noted that the 1969 examination was the 15th
post-exposure year in which the Atomic Energy Commission's
Division of Biology and Medicine has examined and cared for
the exposed Marshallese people.
The surveys are carried out
jointly with the Medical Department of the Trust Territory of
the Pacific Islands.
The results of these examinations are
reported regularly to the scientific and medical communities.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is operated by Associated
Universities; Inc. (AUI) for the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.
AUI is a national, nonprofit research management organization
sponsored by Columbia,
Cornell,
Harvard,
Johns
Hopkins,
Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania, Princeton,
Rochester and Yale Universities.
In 1956, AUI established and
currently operates for the National Science Foundation the
National Radio Astronomy Observatory with facilities in Green
Bank, West Virginia;
Arizona.
Charlottesville, Virginia;
and Kitt Peak,