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SUMMARY OF MEDICAL SURVEY OF RONGELAP PEOPLE
FIVE AND SIX YEARS AFTER EXPOSURE TO FALLOUT
Annual medical surveys of the Marshallese Islanders were carried out in
March 1959 and March 1960, 5 and 6 years after their accidental exposure
to the fallout from the weapon exploded at Bikini March 1, 1954. During
the 1959 survey 76 exposed persons, including their children, and 166
unexposed Rongelap people, who served as a
examined. In addition, groups of children
Kwajalein Atolls were examined as controls
studies on the exposed Rongelap children.
only the exposed people being examined.
comparison population, were
at Utirik, Majuro, and
for the growth and development
The 1960 survey was brief,
As a result of their exposure in 1954, many of the Rongelap people had
experienced early symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract and
beta burns of the skin along with spotty epilation. Later they showed
depression of their peripheral blood elements comaensurate with the
calculated doses of gamma radiation (175r to 64 people and 69r to 18
people).
In addition, radiochemical analyses of urine samples indicated
that they had acquired fractional body burdens of certain radionuclides.
Despite these evidences of exposure, acute radiation sickness did not
develop in the people and there were no deaths then (or subsequently)
that could be assigned to their radiation exposure. No specific therapy
was given. Recovery of the peripheral blood elements, particularly the
lymphocytes and platelets, proceeded gradually over the ensuing years.
The beta burns, which appeared about two weeks after exposure, were,
for the most part, superficial in nature and healed in several weeks;
only a few lesions persisted and these were not disabling in any way.
The hair regrew normally, beginning about three months after exposure.
The internally absorbed radionuclides caused no known acute effects and
were rapidly excreted so that barely detectable activity was found a
year or two later, excepting the Sr7° and Csl37 isotopes present in the
general population and ZnO
The 5- and 6-year post-exposure surveys were aimed primarily at
evaluating the general medical status of the people in comparison with
the unexposed control population, particularly as to slowly developing
radiation effects.
JCAE
Medical histories of the people during 1958 to 1960 were essentially
uneventful; no special disease occurred and there were no significant
differences in mortality rates. Four deaths have occurred in the exposed
people since exposure giving a mortality rate of 8.1 per 1000 population,
compared with 8.3 per 1000 for the control population and 6.8 for the
Marshall Islands as a whole. The birth rate in the exposed group over
the past six years indicates no ncticeable change in fertility. The 24
births represent a rate of 48 per 1000 population, compared with 62 per
1000 for the control population and 37.3 for the Marshall Islands (1957).
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