HEALTH SURVEY IN PACIFIC
U. 3. ARMED FORCES MEDICAL JOURNAL
Table 15.
Table 14. Percentage of chest x-rays indicative of active
Diagnoses of tuberculosis for natives not x-rayed
pulmonary tuberculosis by rank order on selected
islands or atolls, Saipan, Palau, and Marshall Is-
Tuberculosis
lands districts
atolls, Ine, Tabal, Lamotrek, Sonsorol, Elato, and Faraulep, over 3
percent of the x-rayed population had active pulmonary tuberculosis.
An interesting experience was reported from Tabal Island. The
U.S.S. Whidbey visited this island in November 1948 but, because
heavy seas rendered the x-ray machine inoperable, the ship was forced
to return at a later date to complete the examinations. During the
initial visit one 39-year-old womanonthe island showed clinica] evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis and had positive sputum for tubercle
bacilli, At that time nine people were living in the same house with
this active case of pulmonary tuberculosis. Eighteen months later
when the survey ship returned the woman had died of tuberculosis.
The chest roentgenograms for the other nine members of the household were still negative for tuberculosis.
Table 15 shows the diagnoses of tuberculosis that occurred among
inhabitants who were not x-rayed. These diagnoses had been established prior to the health survey and, in some cases, the individuals
were receiving treatment forthe disease.
Nearly 90 percentof the population were tuberculin-tested. Table
16 shows the distribution of islands by percentof positive tuberculin
VOLUME 10, NO. 10
oD
ae
|
tests. Two test-strength dosages of tuberculin, 0.0001 mg PPD and
0.00002 mg PPD, were used for thetests, the latter dosage being
used early in the program andoccasionally when the 0.0001 mg PPD
dosage was not available. On most of the islands in the Marshall
Islands district the 0.0001 mg PPD dosage was used, while primarily
the 0.00002 mg dosage was used in the Palau district. Both dosages
were used in the Saipandistrict. From Babelthuap Island, where the
0.0001 mg PPD tuberculin dosage was used on about one half of the
“tested population and the 0.00002 mg PPD tuberculin dosage was
*Palau district.
**Marshall Islands district.
***Saipan district.
1214
Other
ad
0
'
Utirik Atoi**
.
‘
12
1.2
ee
Arno Jsland**
Rota Island***
Kwajalein Atoll
Majuro Atoll
Tabal Island
bee
0
&
Uilithi Atoll*
Ailuk Atoll
bof
1.3
Sonsorol Island
Yap Islands
Marshall Islands
em
Woleai Atoll*
Male
Bronchus|
genitalia
bP
.3
1
0
0
0
0
a
0
0
0
10
3
Namorik Island**
Kwajalein Atoll**
Angaur Isiand*
Eauripik Atoll*
Lib Island**
Likiep Atoll**
Merir Island*
Peleliu Isiand*
Pulo Anna Island*
Tobi Island*
wo
Ailuk Atoll**
2.8
2.8
24
2.4
2.2
2.1
2.1
18
17
1.6
Saipan: Saipan
Island
Palau
Babelthuap
Island
Fais Island
KororIsland
Negulu Atoll
Peleliu Island
Satawal Island
|
2.9
Fais Istand*
Yap Islands*
Aur Island**
Koror Island*
Maloelap Atoll**
Kayangel Atoll*
Negulu Atoll*
Tinian Island***
Hfalik Atoll*
Saipan Island***
Lymph
nodes
‘
wo
Mili Atoli**
Skin
Arrested
1
1,2
9
7
6
Ai
a4
Active
I
6.8
3.8
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.1
’” Pulmonary
ao
Faraulep Atoli*
Elato Atoll*
Sonsorol Island*
Lamotrek Atoil*
Tabal Island**
Ine Island**
cases
t
Wotie Atoll**
Majuro Atoll**
Mejit Island**
Babelthuap Isiand*
Satawal Island*
Ebon Atoll**
Total
Percent
active
oe RO
Island or atoll and
district
om
q
Percent
active
Peenvma Ge & we he Pp
Island or atoll and
district
Table 16.
Distribution of islands by percent of
positice tuberculin tests
Percent of positive
tuberculin tests
Saipan
district
Total
Palau
district
Marshall
Islands
district
»
wy,
AS.
we.
Under 9
3
-
1
2
10 to 19
6
-
-
6
20 to 29
30 to 39
7
8
1
3
3
4
4
40 to 49
3
1
2
-
50 to 59
6
1
5
-
-
1
-
60 to 69
70 to 79
80 and over
4
1
i
|
|
|
-
4
1
-
|
TOBER 1959
J215