125-14-6535 During FY 1978 and 1979, a comprehensive health education prosram directed . toward instructing the people of Rongelap and Utirik about the effects of radiation wes carried out by Dr. Naidu of BNL (Safety and Environmental Protection Division). A booklet on radiation and its effects was developed and Dr. Naidu established a residence on each island for at least a month. His command of the language and integration into their society resulted in a significant. transfer of information | (judged by the sophistication of their questions to the medical group on subsequent visits). Radiological monitoring of people living on. Rongelap, Utirik and Bikini, | including radiochemical analyses of urine samples and whole body gemma-spectrographic analyses, has been intermittent, as indicated during the study. Evaluation of low levels of plutonium detected in the urines of Bikini and Rongelap people continues. — It is still uncertain 1f contamination of urine samples may be a, factor. A disturbing finding was a sudden increase in the Csi3/ Levels: in the” Bikini people, resulting in their resettlement. Two new physicians were hired in 1978 for the program. Dr. W. Grant replaced -Dr. K. Knudsen as the Resident Physician and Dr. H.. Pratt replaced Dr- R. Conard after he retired (January 1, 1979). . Ae Ot. The attitudes of the Rongelap and Utirik people toward the examinations has gradually improved in recent years due partly to a better undarstandiug of the objectives of the medical team as a result of the increased educational program, and partly to an improved attitude of the Marshallese politicians. However, activist groups from Japan and agitation in the United States continue to cause unrest among the people. . : ‘ Studies with Dr. Raymond A.Popp (Oak Ridge) for frequency of isoleucine substitution in hemoglobin of Marshallese as an index of somatic mutations_associated with radiation exposure and aging were continued (Popp, R. A. et al., Interdiscipl. Topics Geront. 2 209-18, 1976). Studies of. polymorphism and rare protein variants in the blood cells from children of exposed and unexposed parents by Dr. James: Neel (University of Michigan) were reactivated and he has expanded his battery of tests for these variants in Marshallese children (Neel, J. Vv. et al., Amer. J. Hum. Genet, in press). A small clinical laboratory has been established on Ebeye under the direction of the resident physician. A laboratory technician was hired as an assistant. d. Publications: Cronkite, E.P., et al., Some effects of jonizing radiation on human beings: A report on the Marshallese ‘and Americans accidentally exposed to radiation fallout and a discussion of radiation injury in the humen being. AEC-TID 5385, U.S.Governmen Printing Office, Washington, D.C. an 1956. . . : Bond, V.P., Conard, R.A., Robertson, J.S., and Weden, E.A.,Jrc. Medical examination of Rongelap people six months after exposure to fallout. WT-937, Operation Castle Addendum Report 4.1A, April 1955. , Cronkite, E.P., et al., Twelve-month post exposure survey on Marshallese exposed to fallout radiation.’ BNL 385 (f-71), August 1955. to Medical survey of Marshallese two years after exposure Conard, R.A., et al., fallout radiation. YdLA.Mt A. 164: 1192, 1.957; UNE 412 (T-80), March 1956. . Hacch 199f aedteorl sucvey of Rongelap aud Ctirih Couarsd, RAL, et at., L950. people three years after eysposure to radioactive fallout. BNL SCL (1-i19), June vat .