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REFER:
TEL, AREA CODE 816 YAPHANK 4-6262
401992
-
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT-
November 3, 1969
Dr. John R. Totter
Director, Division of Blology & Medicine
U. S. Atomic Energy Commission
Kashington, Ds C. 20545
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
5
Dear Joba;
On Friday Octobar 31, 1969 a conterence was held with Mr. Edward Johnston,
High Commissioner of the Trust Territory, in regard to certain problems concerning the medical surveys of the Marshallese. Dave Bruner and Nat Barr
were with me and Mr. Fred Radewagon, the Washington liaison officer for the
High Commissioner was also present.
[I also had the pleasure later of meeting
Mrs. Elizabeth Farrington, Director of Territories of the Department of
Interior and discussed briefly most of the problems referred to below. The
following summarizes the subjects discussed,
' 1.
Request by T.T. for AEC support for travel and per diem of Trust
Territory personnel participating ‘in the Rongelap surveys (See copies of
letters enclosed). I reviewed the background of the medical surveys and
expressed appreciation f
the fine support the Trust Territory has given
us in the past.
It was «..so0 pointed out that continued careful examination
of these exposed populations, particularly in view of the serious development
of thyroid abnormalities, would be necessary in the future. Mr. Johnston was
entirely sympathetic toward our objectives. He pointed out however, that at
a recent meeting of the Micronesian congress, that body recommended against
the use of any T.T. funds for the support of any damages or results of AEC-DOD
testing, including monetary support of Bikini rehabilitation and the AEC medical
surveys, In recent years we have been paying for the use of the ship for the
survey as well as most of the expenses, However the Trust Territory had paid
for the travel and per diem of their participating personnel, in the survey.
Mr. Johnston said that the attitude of the Micronesian congress puts them
in a most difficult position and he hoped that we would be able to handle the
travel and per diem payments of participating Marshallese personnel(See attached
letter from Mr. Coleman).
I told him that I had been in correspondence with
Mr. William Bonnet, AEC Honolulu,about the subject and that I was assured
that there would be sufficient funds to pay travel and per diem for 3-4 Trust
Territory personnel on the next survey(the money was available in view of
the cancellation of the Bikini counting facility at this time). Mr. Bonnet
pointed out that if the AEC coneurs with this arrangement in the future more
funds ($3,000.-4,000, annually) would have to be made available for the Biomedical surveys. I personally feel that the attitude of the Micronesian