By 1957, radiological surveys indicated that, in
spite of slight lingering radioactivity, Rongelap
Atoll wassafe for habitation. A completely new
village was constructed, and in July the Rongelap
people, more than doubled in number bythein-
died from leukemia that may or mavnot have
been related to radiation exposure; transportation
all their personal belongings, bed mats, andlive-
deteriorated; and political interference was started
which has been particularly frustrating and has
threatenedto put a stop to the medical supervision
and care provided to the exposed people by the
medical team.
downto life in their new village. In March 1958
the survey was carried out for the first time at
decision was made that more frequent hematological examinations of the exposed people were
been done mostly at Rongelap with supplementary
visits to other islands.
The Utirik people, after the initial examinations, were next examined on their homeisland in
1957. They have since been examined only about
stituted every Septemberin addition to the March
survey.
flux of relatives, were taken there on an LST with
stock. After arrival ceremonies they happily settled
Rongelap; subsequent annual examinations have
once every 3 years because their fallout exposure
was minimal. The American servicemen have not
been seen by our medical team since theinitial
examinations.
During recent vears the Rongelap and Utirik
people have movedin large numbers to thedistrict centers at Majuro and particularly Ebeve
(Kwajalein Atoll), where many are employed by
the Kwajalein Missile Range. This had necessitated examinations at Majuro and Ebeye in addition to their homeislands. (Table 1 shows the
present geographical distribution of the people.)
The manystudies that have been done on the
Marshallese are directly or indirectly related to
possible radiation effects. Often a single blood sample drawn for routine hematology has been used
for many tests. Multiple blood sampling has been
avoi..cd wheneverpossible.
C. 1970-1974 SURVEYS
During the past 5 years a numberof problems
have arisen: thyroid abnormalities continued to
develop in the exposed Rongelap peoplein spite of
hormone treatment; an exposed Rongelap boy
In 1972, following the death from leukemia, the
needed, and therefore such examinations werein-
Also in 1972, the decision was madeto place a
resident physician in the Marshall Islands. An increasing numberof exposed Rongelap peuple were
developing thyroid nodules, most of which required
surgical intervention, and manvof them were not
adheringstrictly to the thyroid treatment program, which is considered extremely important,
especially after surgery. A resident physician would
be able to monitor this program and, since the
Trust Territory was short on medical personnel,
could assist in general health care of the Rongelap
and Utirik people. The planis for such a phvysictan
to alternate between BNL and the Marshall Islands every two years. Thefirst one has just completed a 2-year term, and anotheris taking his
place soon.
Transportation has always been a major problem for the medical survey teams. Air transportation to the Pacific improved greatly with the advent
of the jet plane, but travel by ship amongthe Mar-
shall Islands (several hundred miles between atolls
through rough seas) has remained difficult. The
travel problem has been magnified by the need for
the resident physician to visit Rongelap and Utunk
quarterly, and by the added responsibility of the
medical team, since 1971, for radiation monitoring
of Bikini and more recently of Eniwetok, since the
people displaced by the bomb testing program are
Table |
Location of Rongelap and Utirik People, 1974
Rongelap exposed
Rongelap unexposed
Utirik exposed
Total
Rongelap
Uurik
Majuro
31
37
~
5
14
Ebeye
24
65
Bikini
7
Other
6
8
Total
66
131
-
41
43
22
-
10
116
68
41
62
111
7
24
313