11

rival in Marchit was gratifying that most of the
people had put their money into savings accounts.
The Utirik people seemed quite disappointed in
not receiving any monetary compensationfor their
fallout exposure. In a lengthy meeting held with

them on arrival of the team, the reason for this —

the lack of radiation effects - was carefully explained, andit is believed they accepted the situation in good grace, judging by their cooperation in

the examinations and cordiality to the medical

team.

Findings
INTERVAL MEDICAL HISTORY

Table 3 shows the populations examined in
1965 and 1966. Table 4 showsthe location of the
populations understudy, and Table 5 showsthe
percent distribution of the Rongelap population
by age and sex.
ilinesses

During the past 2 years the Rongelap people

have been generally in good health, and their
nutritional status appears to have been satisfactory. An epidemic, believed to have been Asiatic
influenza, with acute upper respiratory manifestations occurred in about half the population in the
spring of 1964. Another influenza-like epidemic of
similar proportions occurred in 1965. An outbreak
of diarrhea, cause unknown,involved a large segment of the population during January and February 1965. About 15 cases of chicken pox occurred in the spring of 1965. On Ebeye Island,
where about 100 Rongelap people live, an out-

Figure 5. Rongelap girl with tovs
following annualparty, 1966.

break of conjunctivitis occurred during the year,

but this responded to topical antibiotic treatment.
Four children with varying degrees of paralysis,
following a poliomyelitis epedimic in 1963, were
treated and fitted with braces at Majuro. Surgery
was performed on four cataract cases and onefistula zn ano. There were 3 deaths in the exposed
group and 3 in the unexposed people (see below).
The most outstanding finding since the previous
report has been the increasing numberof cases of
thyroid nodules. By July of 1966, 11 cases had
been operated upon, the first 3 in 1964 at the
Naval Hospital in Guam. Thelast 8 cases were
sought to the Medical Research Center at Brookhaven National Laboratory for extensive studies

Table 3

Numbers of People Examined

During the 11- and 12-Year Surveys

Rongelap and Ailingnae exposed — adults
(age >>19)

Rongelap and Ailingnae exposed — children

(age 11 or 12 to 19)

Rongelap unexposed - adults (age > 19)
Rongelap unexposed - children (age 19)
Children born to exposed parent(s)
(age C11)
Utirik exposed - adults (age >19)
Utirik exposed - children (age 12 to 19)

1965

1966

48

49

23.023

83
108

-

48
-

70
39

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