¥
GROWTH AND RADIATION
delivered to the thyroid did not result in
any clinically apparent metabolic dysfunc-
in March, 1954, have shown retardation in
exposed Rongcelap children. Persistent en-
both statural growth and skeletal maturation among the exposed boys as compared
to non-exposed comparison children. The
retardation was noted among boys who
were under 5 years of age when exposed
under identical condition. Thus, it is be-
of exposure. Nostatistically significant dif-
tions and repeated determinations of the
serum protein-bound iodine values have
been about the same in exposed and un-
vironmental factors are eliminated since
both exposed and control populations live
lieved that in these Marshall Islands children any radiation effect on bone growth
must
have
resulted
from
penetrating
gamma radiation at the time of original
exposure. As pointed out above, the ac-
cumulated dose to the bones from absorbed
radionuclides, such as Sr, is believed to
be negligible compared with the dose of
gamma radiation originally received. How-
to the fallout, being most prominent among
those who were 12 to 18 monthsold at time
ferences were noted in the growth patterns
between the exposed and the non-exposed
group of girls and between 39 children
born to exposed parents subsequenttofallout and 53 children born to non-exposed
parents.
REFERENCES
ever, the dose of penetrating radiation re-
1. Cronkite, E. P., Bond, V. P., and Dunham,C.
L.: Some Effects of Ionizing Radiation on
Human Beings. A report on the Marshallese
osseous growth. In rabbits, D’Angio and
radiation injury in the human being. U.S.
ceived was much lower than that expected
to produce retardation by direct effect on
co-workers?’ found that a dose of 400 r to
the entire extremity was required before
any grossly observable inhibition of bone
growth occurred. The possibility that radiation exposure may produce someindirect,
abscopal effect on bone growth has been
examined by Conard,*® who demonstrated
in weanling rats a retardation effect on
bone growth of shielded legs when the
animals were exposed to 300 to 600 rads.
This effect was largely accounted for by
radiation-induced lowered food intake and
weight loss, though preliminary experiments indicated that the abdominal area
might be the site of an additional abscopal
effect. It was noted that in 25 of 31 exposed
Rongelap children, in whom weights were
documented, a weight loss of several
pounds each occurred during the first 6- to
8-week period following exposure.:? This
may have been reflection of radiation
effect on metabolism, but effects of change
of environment cannot be ruled out.
SUMMARY
Longitudinal studies on 38 children who
were exposedto fallout radiation on Ronge-
lap and Ailingnae atolls, Marshall Islands,
IOE2Z5 74
and Americans accidentally exposed to ra-
diation from fallout and a discussion of -
Atomic Energy Commission TID 5358,
Washington, D.C.: U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office, 1956, 106 pp.
2. Cronkite, E. P., Dunham, C. L., Griffin, D.,
McPherson, S. P., and Woodward, K.T.:
Twelve-month post-exposure survey on
Marshallese exposed to fallout radiation.
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)
Technical Bulletin 384 (T-71), 1955.
3. Conard, R. A., Huggins, C. E., Cannon, B.,
Lowrey, A., and Richards, J. B.: Medical
survey of Marshallese two years after exposure to fallout radiation. J.A.M.A., 164:
1192, 1957.
4, Conard, R. A., Meyer, L. M., Rall, J. E., Low. rey, A., Bach, S. A., Cannon, B., Carter, E.
L., Eicher, M., and Hechter, H.: March
1957 medical survey of Rongelap and Utirik
people three years after exposure to radioactive fallout. BNL 501 (T-119), 1958, 26 pp.
5. Conard, R. A., Robertson,J. S., Meyer, L. M.,
Sutow, W. W., Wolins, W., Lowrey, A.,
Urschel, H. C., Jr., Barton, J. M., Goldman,
M., Hechter, H., Eicher, M., Carver, R. K.,
and Potter, D. W.: Medical survey of
Rongelap people, March 1958, four years
after exposure to fallout. BNL 534 (T-135),
1959, 36 pp.
6. Conard, R. A., Meyer, L. M., Robertson,J. S.,
Sutow, W. W., Wolins, W., and Hechter, H.:
Effects of fallout radiation on a human
population. Radiat. Res., Supplement 1, p.
280, 1959.
7. Conard, R. A., Macdonald, H. E., Lowrey, A.,
oe.
730