1i

1964-75. Unquestionable damage to the thyroid gland, espechally to
those exposed below the age of 10, made its appearance. A reexahination
of earlier estimates of dose to the thyroid gland led to their e
by a factor of about 2 for adults, and 5 or more for children.
administration of thyroid hormone (interrupted on occasion) to t
exposed population was begun in 1965 as a prophylactic measure a
thyroid neoplasia (nodules, cancer), and also to correct for pos
losses in thyroid function.

By the end of 1974 (Fig 2.3 #1), the thyroid tumor recor

follows:

Age below 10 in 1954:

17 tumors in 19 persons examin

including 1 cancer.

Age 10-18 years in 1954:

2 tumors in 12 persons exani

Age above 18 years in 1954 :

3 tumors in 33 persons

examined, including 2 cancers.

Almost all persons with thyroid nodules were sent for surgi

treatment to the Cleveland Metropolitan Hospital, Cleveland, Oh

one was compensated at the rate of $25,000 per surgery.

The occurrence of thyroid disease as well as a case of acu

leukemia worried the Rongelap people. The medical team was acc
having deceived the Rongelap people and of using them as guinea
The Brookhaven medical services were boycotted during 1972, but

accepted later in the year after a favorable report on the matt r by an

international committee.
1976-79.

More thyroid nodules appeared.

The Rongelap pe

continued to be worried. They asked for an independent health r
which was not granted. A group of Brookhaven scientists propos
comprehensive dosimetry review (Bond et al, 1978), which DOE th

(Lessard, 1984a; Lessard et al, 1984c: Lessard et al, 1985).
Independently, DOE initiated a "Northern Marshall's Survey" ba
aerial survey by EG&G and some terrestrial work by Lawrence Liv
National Laboratory (Robison et al, 1980; Robison et al, 1982Zbj
& Meibaum,1981).

Tipton

1980-84. DOE summarized its survey results in 1982 with al report in
Marshallese, embellished with colored illustrations. (This is the DOE1982 book under review in the present report. See Note 1.) The
conclusion, that Rongelap Island was safe, was not accepted by Bll of the
people.

The Rongelap people requested the Government to transfer them to

another atoll.

Significant parts of the anti-nuclear documentary filn,

Half-Life, were filmed at Rongelap.

had been used as “guinea pigs".

The film suggested that t

people

Select target paragraph3