Continued

Protocol 1974

Page Six

will be set up in conjunction with the diabetic study station using the
These studies will be done at Rongelap,
same hematolegical technician.
that over 200 children and parents will be
possible
Ebeye and Majuro. It is
available for this study.
Radiological Surveys

As a result of the nuclear bomb testing at Bikini, slight amounts of
residual radiation exist in the environment of the atolls of Utirik, Rongelap
and Bikini.
The amounts are least on Utirik and most on Bikini.
The people

living at Rongelap and Utirik absorbed internally slight amounts of radio-

nuclides, principally 137cs, 99sr (also some ®52n, 69Co and 55Fe).

These

levels have been far below the doses set as guidelines by the International
Commission on Radiological Protection and otheragencies.
There has been no
indication of any ill effects from these exposures, naare any expected. A
peak dose of about 130 mr/year was estimated for the Rongelap people in 1958
with declining doses subsequently.
Thus the accumulated bone marrow dose
over the years has most probably not been more than a couple of rads from
internally absorbed emitters.
The return of the Bikini people to their home atoll in the near future
will no doubt attract considerable attention.
The radiological safety of
their habitation on Bikini has been verified by numerous radiological surveys

of the atoll including plant and marine life and an ad hoc committee on which

I served years ago reviewed the then available data and decided that the

return of the people "did not offer a significant threat to their health and
safety''. Recommendations were made to further reduce radiation levels on
the island.

At Rongelap annual assessment of the body burdens of radionuclides have
been carried out largely hut by whole-body counting for gamma emitters

(137cs, 652n anc 60Co) and radiochemical analyses of 24-hr urine samples

(largely of 90Sr, 137cs and *Pu). Numerous environmental radiation surveys
have also been made including external radiation measurements, assays of

Rongelap diets, edible plants, land crabs, soil, marine life, etc.
The
latter have provided valuable information concerning the transport of
radionuclides from the environment to man, However, temporal correlation
of these environmental data with body burdens of personnel has not been done
satisfactorily.
Therefore during the survey direct correlation of body
burden data with environmental data will be attempted. In view of the
imminent return of the Bikini people, a more up-to-date assessment of the
radiation status of that island and the people living there is of importance
and the forthcoming survey will afford an opportunity to accomplish this.
Furthermore the input information on transfer of radionuclides from environment to man on Rongelap and Utirik will be of great value in the assessment
of the Bikini situation and now also Eniwetok.
The following procedures are planned:
‘
'

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