Protocol 1974

Continued

will be set up tin conjunction with

Page Six

the diabctic study station using the

same hemitolopical technician,
Mhese studies will be dance at Rongelap,
Ebeye and Mijuro. Tt is possible that over 200 children and parents will be
available for this study.

Radiological Surveys

As a result of the nuclear bomb testing at Bikini, slight amounts of
residual radiation exist in the environment of the atolls of Utirik, Rongelap
and Bikini.
The amounts are least on Utirik and most on Bikini.
The people
living at Rongelap and Utirik absorbed internally slight amounts of radio-

nuclides, principally 137cs, 90sr (also some 652n, 60Co and 55Fe).

These

levels have been far below the doses set as guidelines by the International
Commission on Radiological Protection and otheragencies.
There has been no
indication of any ill effects from these exposures, na@ware any expected, A
peak dose of about 130 mr/year was estimated for the Rongelap people in 1958
with declining doses subsequently.
Thus the accumulated bone marrow dose
over the years has most probably not been more than a couple of rads from
internally absorbed emitters,

The return of che Bikini people to their home atoll in the rear future
will no doubt attract considerable attention. The radiological safety of
their habitation on Bikini has been verified by numerous radiological surveys
of the atoli including plant and marine life and an ad hoc committee on which
I served years ago reviewed the then available data and decided that the

return of the people "did not offer a significant threat to their health anéd
safety'',

Recommendations were made to further reduce radiation levels on

the island.

Ac Rongelap annual assessment of the body burdens of radionuclides have

been carricd out largely but by whole-body counting for gamma cmitters

(137¢s, ©52n and 69Co) and radiochemical analyses of 24-hr urine samples
(largely of 90Sr, 137cs and “Pu). Numerous environmental radiation surveys

have also been made including external radiation measurements, assays of
Rongelap diets, edible plants, land crabs, soil, marine life, etc. The
latter have provided valuable information concerning the transpore of
radionuclides from the covironment to man,
However, temporal correlation

of these environmental data with body burdens of personnel has not been done
nalistbactorily.,
‘Merefore daring the survey direce correlation of body
burden data with cnavironmental data will be attempted.
in view of the
imninent return of the Bikini people, a more up-to-date assessment of the
Yaciation status of that island and the people living there is of importance

and the forthcoming survey will afford an opportunity to accomplish this.

Furthermore the input information on transfer of radionuclides from envirozn-

ment to man on Rongelap and Utirik will be of great value in the assessment
of the Bikini situation and now also Eniwetok,
Tne following procedures are planned:

Select target paragraph3