Effects of Fallout Radiation on Human Beings
52
40
[ TT
100+ GROUP I (62
|
30
2or
Qo
Pew
te
-
> “MALES (AGE > 10)
OLLLtiprp ti, te po
i
5
}
o8 24 40 56 726° 12 3 4
DAYS
MO
TIME
AFTER
5
1
L
|
l
6 7 8 9
YEARS
L
10
|
_/SONTROL GROUP ATES|
ee
hfrange
& 80
*
A
UCT Ga
8 70
/
E al
10
Arar 2118)
;
+
;
/
2: «
3 sob
EXPOSURE
of
4
y
i
7S
t
|
Ae
{
=
of the control population (Fig. 7). There is a
slight difference between Rongelap (Group Ff)
and Ailinginae (Group II).
Figure 8 shows a similar analysis for
platelet counts of Rongelap. Ailinginae. Utirik
and a control population at the time of maximum
depression. The leftward shift of the cumulative
platelet counts increases with the estimated dose
of radiation. The cumulative platelet counts for
Utirik detect a slight depression in counts from
0.11 Gy exposure.
The slowness in recovery of platelet levels in blood is demonstrated by the cumulative
distribution of platelet counts seven yearsafter
exposure (Fig. 9). There is still a small but distinct shift to the left, suggesting that the genetic
mechanism for regulating the platelet count is
still perturbed.
PLATELETS 110°
ing the develo]
ninth exposure
conducted exte
there was no ev
Fig. 8. Cumulative platelet counts for the Rongelap,
Ailinginae. Utirik and comparison population at time
of maximum depression for the exposed groups.
One case of acute myeloblastic leukemia
developed in a boy age !9 who died in 1972.
This was probably due to exposure to !.9 Gy
on Rongelap at one year of age. One case of
leukemia (age 63) occurred in the comparison
group [4].
Symptoms, Skin Lesions and Epilation
As mentioned earlier, the fallout on
Rongelap was snow-like and extensive. It was
mist-like on Ailinginde and Rongerik. It was
invisible on Utirik. During the first two days,
100
burning of the e:
vomiting and
Rongelapese. T
ne! on Rongerik
bathed and char
a o 5 91. 3 - I7 21 25 29: 33 37t 41 45! 49 531 57 6:ee
65 69
Fig. 6. Average platelet counts on Rongelapese for
males and females for ten years after exposure to fallout
radiation.
about one-fourt
enced itching an
a lesser degree.
get. took shelt«
free Ali ogee
y
ol/
Cronkite/Bond/Co
T
temporal sequ
lesions and ep
About two wee
dosed group ft
hyperpigmentat
the early stage
neous lesions.
were experien
severe pain w
lesions were
stages the cut
ized by hyper
raised placque
later tended t
developed a:
mented stage '
lowed bydr
preceded fro
leaving a pink
desquamation
istic appearar
fringed with ¢
PERIOD
f
°
=
60h
fre)
ia
10}
A a
°
Zot lL
1
2
3
4
S=
NEUTROPHILES
'
2
z
4 Curuistive- Age>5
L
5S
4
<
6
lL
7
8
lL
9
lO
al
11
2
o 7 YEARS POST EXPOSURE
40+
2 COMPARISON POPULATION4
20r-
-
196)
o
#0.
f
:
i
20
4
z
:
i
r
sot
oO
:
Big
3 40
sor
a
a
r
fits
SOF
PATENT MAU ht
COUNTS
(DAYS 26-30)
1
8
i6
24
32
40
PLATELETS «107*
48
-
64
|
<
8
|
:
|
."
_
o?__-FCONTROL GROUP A (SI)
08
S TOF grourmasy/
«
|
© 60
=
5
a
o
—-
2
5
SS aRie aerapper eee we a)
5
SROUPT WSK
‘
80
_——
PERCENT OF TOTAL GROUP
N
$3
o
GR
sop
meq
=
3
100
Fig. 7. Cumulative neutrophil counts for Rongelap
and Ailinginae at the time of maximum depression
compared to comparison population.
JUL Zu ou
Fig. 9. Cumulative distribution of platelet counts at
time of maximumdepression and seven years after
exposure of the Rongelap people and the comparison
population.
Fig. 10. Tin
epilation for