ll
would tend to support the impression that their
life span is shorter than that of people in the continental U.S., but there has been a “population
explosion” in these islands which might account
for this discrepancy.
Of the 348 Rongelap people, 308 were examined
during the survey at Rongelap, Kwajalein, and
Majuro Atolls. Examined were 80 in the exposed
group, 37 children of exposed people, and 191
control adults and children.
INTERVAL MEDICAL HISTORY
Mortality
One death occurred in a 78-yr-old exposed
woman on March 5, 1962, the day before the arrival of the survey team. This death will be described
below.
The 5 deaths that have occurred in the 8-yr
period since exposure represent a rate of 7.65 per
1000 population, which is not very different from
the rate for the Marshall Islands as a whole (8.3
per 1000 for 1960). Comparison with the unexposed population of Rongelap is complicated by
variations in the size of this population, which has
generally increased from year to year since the
people were first included in the study in 1957.
However, the death rate in this group, which has
fewer older people, appears to be only slightly less
than that in the exposed Rongelap group.
Births
Thebirth rate for the past year was again calculated, as in the preceding survey, from the number of births per woman of childbearing age (16 to
45 yr). There were 22 such women in the
exposed group and 32 in the unexposed group.
(Not included in either group were 4 unexposed
women whose spouses were exposed males.) In
the exposed group 4 babies were born, giving an
average of 0.182 births per woman; in the unexposed group 4 babies- were born, giving a slightly
lower birth rate per woman (0.125). The births
were all full-term normal deliveries.
Congenital Anomalies
No congenital anomalies were reported in children born of either exposed or unexposed parents
during the past year. Specific genetic studies have
not been included on this relatively small population. Routine examination of babies born to
exposed women since the accident has not revealed
any increased incidence of anomalies as compared
with children born of unexposed parents. In 1960,
one of the babies born of an unexposed mother
(No. 75) had a congenital heart defect. The baby
died at 4 months of age. Unfortunately, an autopsy
was not possible and the diagnosis was not confirmed. Most of the anomalies reported had
occurred in children of unexposed parents; they
include a low incidence of patent ductus arteriosus, congenital deformity of the hip, and congenital
hypoplasia of the middle phalanx of the 5th finger.
Miscarriages and Stillbirths
During the past year no miscarriages or stillbirths were reported in exposed or unexposed
women. During the past several years the incidence
of miscarriages appears to be no greater in the
exposed than in the unexposed women, and the
previously reported suggestive increase in incidence in the exposed women is no longer appar-
ent. Unfortunately in most instances it has not
been possible to have a physician examine the
products of miscarriage.
Death of an Exposed Woman
On March 5, 1962, a 78-yr-old exposed woman
died. During the past few years she had become
very feeble and was bedridden and incontinent
with senile deterioration. She was kept in a pennedin portion of her room. The major findings on previous examinations had been acute kyphoscoliosis (she was so badly stooped that she could not
stand upright), bilateral cataracts, hypertension.
arteriosclerotic heart disease, osteoarthritis, and
senility. Several weeks before her death she devel-
oped an upper respiratory infection with nausea
and vomiting. She became delirious and excited at
times and attempted to pull herself upright. Four
days before her death she became comatose and
went rapidly downhill. Fortunately an autopsy was