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Physical examinations showed both the exposed and unexposed people to be
generally ina state of good health.
No conditions were seen that could
be directly related to radiation effects.
The incidence of various -
minor disorders in both adults and children was about the same in the
exposed and unexposed groups.
In connection with growth and development studies in the six-year
chronological age group, three boys and one girl out of five boys and two
girls in the exposed group exhibited significantly retarded skeletal
maturation as judged by x-ray examination, but the over-all group sizes
aré too emall to warrant interpretation.
A. cardiovascular survey of the adults showed no outstanding differences
between the exposed and unexposed groups.
An arthritis survey showed no real differences between the exposed and
the unexposed people; the incidence is about the same as that seen in
American populations.
An opthalmological survey demonstrated no differences between the exposed
and unexposed groups except possibly a slightly greater incidence of
corneal hypertrophy and scars in the exposed group.
A dental survey showed no significant differences in either caries rate
or incidence of peridontal disease between exposed and unexposed groups.
Radiation exposure appears not to have affected dentition in the
exposed children.
The late effects of raftation are difficult to assess as they are those
associated with normal ageing (skin looseness, elasticity, and senile
changes; greying of the hair and balding; loss of accomodation, reduced
visual acuity, and arcus cenilis; reduced hearing; cardiovascular
changes including blood pressure and degrees of peripheral and retinal
arteriosclerosis; reétrogrésecion of neuromuscular function and hand
strength were meesured or estimated on a O to k + scale).
Comparison of
thesé méasurensots in exposed and unéxposed individuals of the seme age
groups revealed no clear differences.
One case of cancer developsd in ths exposed group Pive years efter
exposure, but this is too soon, it is belteved, to be related to radiation
exposure.
Leukemia surveys including physical findings, studies of white
cell counts and types, alkaline phosphatase staining, and basophil counts
showed no evidence of lenkemia or leukemic tendency.
Genetic effects have not been specifically studied because of the small
monuber of people involved. However, no apparent radiation-induced
genetic changes have been detected on routine physical examination in
the first-generation children of exposed psrents.
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