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AOROe
August 5, 1965
Mr. John T. Conway
Executive Director
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Congress of the United States
°
Dear Mr. Conway:
On March 25,
1965, you were advised of the three added Rongelap
people with thyroid tumors noted during the 1965 annual medical
survey of the Rongelap {slanders who were exposed to fallout from
the Bravo Test in 1954. Dr. Robert Conard, leader of the survey
team, Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, has
advised Dr. C. L, Dunham, Director AEC's Division of Biology
and Medicine, that these Rongelapese (the two males, 12 and 17
years of age, and one woman, 41 years of age) were brought to this
country for study at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, and during
the week of July 5, 1965, were successfully operated on at the Lahey
Clinic in Boston.
The two teen-age boys were found each to havea solitary benign tumor
of the thyroid. These nodules were removed surgically. The middleaged woman was found to have a carcinoma of the thyroid gland with
some metastases to local structures.
carried out.
A sub-total thyroidectomy was
Inher case, the prognosis is fair.
She will be given
30 millicuries of lodine-131 in the hope of destroying any persisting
thyroid tissue.
it is interesting that the dose of radioiodine to the thyroid gland in
the case of the woman is estimated at about 160 rads, or approximately
one-tenth that to the glands of the youths.
These three Rongelap natives have now been returned to their {sland in
satisfactory condition. They were accompanied in their travel and
treatment by Dr. John taman, native medical practitioner, Trust Territory.
We shall keep you informed of any new developments.
JCAE
.
Sincerely yours,
Assistant General Manager for
Research and, Development
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