Mes. Ruth G. Van Cleve
Page -2-
Included in our figures are all thyroid patients referred to Guam and
Hawaii.
However, we cannot be more specific on the actual number of
referred cases as our Headquarters files do not contain this information.
We are in the process of obtaining this information from the Marshalls
hospital records and we will forward it to you shortly.
It should be
noted that the actual referred cases will be less than the number
indicated in the statistics appended hereto as not ali diagnosed cases
were referred to external clinics.
Attachment #1 shows the number of cases from the Marshalls from 1973 to
1977.
Attachment #2 shows the number of thyroid cases from Ponape District
for the five-year period from 1974 to 1978.
Attachment #3 is a breakdown
by age, sex and home islands of these 16 patients.from the Marshalls.
As may be noted in the first two attachments, the number of cases from
both the Marshalls and Ponape show a fluctuation during these five-year
periods.
However, the overall rates during these periods for both areas
were almost the same, with a rate of 5.7/10,000 population in the Marshalls,
while in Ponape the rate is 6.4/10,000.
The rates were calculated using
the latest populations for both areas~--the Marshalls, 27,880, and Ponape,
21,780.
In other words, the comparison of thyroid cases between the
Marshalls and Ponape in a five-year period of time was almost the same,
with Ponape somewhat higher, although not significantly so.
A copy of
the Whidbey survey is enclosed.
A point that I feel should be cleared relates to the medical care afforded
all the people of Rongelap and Utirik who were exposed to radiation.
‘These
pecple were treated by the Brookhaven National Laboratory staff, and usually
thyroid cases were initially referred directly to Tripler Army Medical
Center
in Honolulu.
Many of them then went on
for further treatment.
to NIH
in Bethesda,
Maryland,
We have found nothing that shows the surgical logs
in Majuro Hospital, have been “pruned”.
The Department of Health Services
in the Marshalls never handled surgical cases with thyroid problems of the
people from Rongelap and Utirik.
This area will also be addressed by thea
Attorney General during his trip to Majuro.
Sincerely yours,
lle, ak)
Adrian P. Winkel
High Commissioner
Ene losures
5011904