cussed in earlier reports [Cronkite, et al (1956); Conard, et al (1958)]

were 28 American Servicemen on Rongerik Atoll who received about 70 r and

157 Marshallese on Utirik Atoll who received about 14 r. The exposed people
were evacuated to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands by air and sea about
two days after the accident. Extensive examinations were carried out during

the first three months after exposure and these findings have been reported in
detail (Cronkite, et al (1956)]. In view of the radioactive contamination

of their home island of Rongelap, the people were subsequently moved to a
village provided for them at Majuro Atoll where followup medical surveys
were carried out and reported on at six months [Bond, et al (1955)], one

th status of the
radiation from
n experimental
1 shift in winds
earby inhabited
ching vessel, the
id of Rongelap,
st fallout — an
minate beta ray
| absorption of
a nearby island
proportionately
ionuclides, Dis-

=
9

<\ynen

v7

~

9
Q
MARSHALL

ISLANDS

<

v
Fig.

1:

°
MAJURO

S

Map of fallout area, Marshall Islands, March 1954

vear [Cronkite, et al (1955)], two years [Conard, et al (1957)] and

at three years [Conard, et al (1958)], and four years [ Conard, et al
(1959)]. By June 1957 radioactivity levels on Rongelap were considered
acceptable for habitation and the people were returned to their home island.
The four year post-exposure survey [Conard, et al (1959)] was carried out
at Rongelap Atoll. By 1956 a large group of unexposed Rongelap people

(relatives) had joined the exposed Rongelap people and returned to Rongelap

with them. This unexposed group has increased in size to 200 people and
served as a much better comparison population group than did the earlier
comparison group of people which were randomly selected at Majuro Atoll.

an

DS

ime,at

ari

C3

315

Select target paragraph3