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An Outline of Some of the Highlishts of
Survey of the Marshallese Carried out in February-
March 1959, 5 Years After the Fallout Accident
Upon our arrival in Honolulu on 21 February, we learned that the LST
(Duval County) would be several days later than anticipated in arriving
at Eniwetok.e
To take advantage of this delay, several of us that had
planned to go to Majuro at the end of the trip decided to do so at the
beginning of the trip. We therefore got off the plane at Kwajalein
and Captain A. F. Cope, USN, Commanding Officer, arranged for a flight
for us that day to Majuro. This turn of events proved to be a blessing
in disguise since, having heard of rumblings of discontent among the
Rongelap people in regard to our medical examinations, it afforded an
opportunity to discuss these problems with the people at Majuro and at
the same time carry out the growth and development studies on the Rita
Village children whom we have been following for the past 4 1/2 years.
A conference was therefore held@waiifh fir. Maynard Neas, Dr. Macdonald,
and Mr. tGlliam White. They substantiated the report that the Rongelap
people might offer some opposition to anticipated examinations. However,
they were all in agreement with the importance of the examinations and
~
Dr. Macdonald stated this aptly by remarking that "a new book in medicine
is being written by your group" in this wnexplored field. I told them
that we planned to carry out an extensive treatment program as best we
could under field conditions to help in our rapport with the people.
They all agreed that this was an excellent approach.
They reiterated the problems associated yith the rehabilitation of the
Rongelapese and stated that they are most anxious that these people
become stabilized economically. The continued disturbing factors
associated with the bomb tests, weather stations, Rad Safe groups,
survey teams, and so forth tend to aggravate the problem.
(A survey
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team had been present on the northern atoll for the past several
months.) Another important factor is the overcrowding on Rongelap.
About three times the number of people are now living on the island
as had previously. The situation is becoming critical in -resard to
A\L “ab “a
space and copra production on the atoll.
(
Mr. Neas pointed out that
it may become necessary to move some of the people to nearby atolls
(Alingnae and Rongerik) to relieve this situation.
bry.
Following this conference Dre John Taran and 1 went to see Anata Fabua
(son of Lejellen the Iroj of the western Marshalls).
From correspon=
dence which Mr. Neas had let me read in his office, it appeared that
Amato was not in complete sympathy with our program and perhaps had
been responsible for creatang some opposition.
Hovever, our conference
with Amato was most amiable and after explaining to him in some detail
the reasons for our continued medical surveys, he seemed to be nost
sympathetic and felt that if we could explain to the people these rea=
sens they would most likely be willingto-—be_examined.Thisinterview
later proved helpful in my discusgions with f° POLS PR AREES
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