* 2 MEDICAL SURVEY OF THE PEOPLE OF RONGELAP po UTIRIK.{StANDS . ELEVEN AND TWELVE YEARS AFTER EXPOSORE7O FALLOUT"RADIATION (MARCH 1965 AND MARCH %966) i 5 ssa Introduction ceived only an external gamma dose of about 69 The results of a medical survey of the people of island of Rongerik further to the east whoreceived about the same amount of radiation as did the Rongelap people on Ailingnae, Lastly, 157 Mar- rads. There were 28 American servicemen on the Rongelap in the Marshall Islands, carried out in March 1965 and March 1966. 11 and 12 years after the accident, are presented in this report. These people had been accidently exposedtofallout radiation following a detonation of a high yield thermonuclear device during experimentsat shallese on Utirik Island ggbout 200 miles further east, received an estimat "14, radgof whole-body radiation. Thefallout was ‘notvisible on thisisland andnoskin effects developed. - Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds in March 1954. An unpredicted shift in winds caused a deposition of significant amountsoffallout on four inhabited Marshall Islands to the east of Bikini The exposedpipeople were evacuated from these islands by plane.and ship about 2 daysafter the accident arid, taken to Kwajalein Naval Base about 15@°mik the south,where theyre- ceived dejsamningtigns for the following } (see Figure 1) and also on 23 Japanese fishermen aboard their fishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon. Of months the inhabitants of the island of Rongelap, 105 ng tBisperidd vigorous efforts were necessary to decoritaminate the, skin completed. (see Figure 2). In view of the generallynegative.ndingsoathhe American servicemen,they weigigter returned ta their duty stations. The Utirik people were also ai- nautical miles away from the detonation, 64 re- ceived the largest fallout exposure: an estimated dose of 175 rads of whole-body gammaradiation, contamination of the skin sufficient to result in beta burns, andslight internal absorption ofradioactive materials through inhalation and ingestion. lowedto return to their homeisland, where radio- active contamination wasslight enough to allow safe habitation. Because Rongelap Atoll was con- Another 18 Rongelap people away on a nearby island (Ailingnae), whereless fallout occurred, re- sidered to be too highly contaminated, a tempo- - a & UTIRIK : al Syernnen . Y ~ Q Q L Figure 1. Mapoffallout area, Marshall Islands. March 1, 1954. ° MAJURC S Figure 2. Marshallese bathing in lagoon at Kwajalein in ) March 1954 to decontaminateskin and hair alter tallow contamination.