Erom residual fallout is currently being reevaluated.
TABLE I
1954 FALLOUT DOSE (RADS)~
Utirik
Rongelap
(a) Whole Body
14
175
(b) Thyroid Adult
Children
30
30 - 95
335
335 - 1400
At the time of the fallout in 1954 the radiation dose to the thyroid
glands was higher than the dose to the rest of the body because of selective
absorption by the thyroid of radioiodines inhaled and ingested from contaminated food and water at the time of the fallout (see Table I).
The radia-
tion dose to the thyroid glands of the Utirik people was estimated to be
about 30 rads for adults and between 30 and 95 rads for children compared
with 335 rads for adults and up to 700-1400 rads for children exposed on
Rongelap.
By the time the people returmed to Utirik the radioiodines had
virtually disappeared so that no further significant thyroid exposure was
possible to anyone living on the island since that time.
There has been a
false belief among the people that thyroid nodules that develop in unexposed
people living on Utirik are caused by lingering radiation.
The dose from
the lingering radiation is too small to produce thyroid effects.
Thyroid
nodules occur in people living throughout the Marshall Islands which, of
course, are not due to radiation exposure.
Thyroid cancer in the exposed Utirik people (which developed in the past
few years) was unexpected.
Statistical comparison of thyroid cancer incidence
at Utirik with the larger experience of the United States indicates
radiation very likely was involved.
that
Accordingly Dr. Conard recommended to
the Department of Interior that all Utirik people who have thyroid operations
be considered for compensation similarly to the Rongelap people.
Compared
with limited data on the unexposed Marshallese populations there has been