| 4 * Slotepee FALLOUT EFFECTS—CONARD & HICKING ase autaney ar hiopsy. One unexposed older woman died possibly of cancer of the cervix, but the diagnosis was not confirmed. The question of in- » creased incidence of malignancy in the irradiated Marshallese must he left open for the present. Beta Radiation Burns.—Duriing the past several years an increased number of pigmented nevus- like lesions have been noted in previously irradi- ly, so that by two years after exposure the l:vels rr “x we aie) ated areas of the skin but these have appeared to be quite benign (see Fig 4). Neither chronic radiation dermatitis nor evidence of cancer of the skin has been noted. Internally Absorbed isotopes.—Radiochemical urine analyses and whole body spectrometnc analyses revealed that the body burdens of radioisotopes in the exposed Rongelap people fell rapid- eo a tener 4. Development of pigmented nevus-like lesions in area ee ee of neck previously involved with beta radiation burns. Most pathologists consulted did not feel that radiation could be implicated as the etiologic agent on the basis of the pathological findings alone, though some considered the findings ‘tyrical of the iesions seen in children treated medically with radioactive iodine However, the evidenceis strong that the thyroid nodules in the Marshallese girls were induced by radiation. Correlation of the thyroid with radiation exposure was substantiated by statistica.: analysis which showed the difference in thyroid .odule incidence between the exposed and the unexposed children to be significant at the 1% ee aeNe eee Fotee ve a er enter nee eaeen ep oe egg eee level. Moreover, Sheline et. al" end Lindsay and Chaikoff" have reported the development of thyroid nodules 5 to 11 years after treatment of children with radioiodine for thyrotoxicosis. Lindsay and Chaikoff reported that the sections of the glands removed from the Marshallese girls were similar to the glands of children who had been given '"* therapy. Based on a calculated dose of approximately 150 rads’ to the adult thyruds from isotopes of iodine, it was estimated that the smailer thyroid glands of the girls exposed at three to four vears of age received a vial dose of the order of 1,000 rads (probable range was 700 to 1,400 rads). The fact that a part of the total dose to the thyraid (175 rads) was due to whole body gamma exposure (including the pituitary giand) may be of some sipnificance, In ic iiarsnaltese giris the stress of puberty may have been a factor in the development of the nodules. MMaitgnency.— No cases of jeukemia in either the taposed or unexposed Rongelapese have heen detected. Tw oiler exposed women died with a diagnosis of cancer, one at 67 years of age from ovarian malionanes five ycars afier expos ire, and the oiler died at b0 vears of age, eight years after exposure, prehably from cancer of the cervix. The diagnosis in the latter case was het confirmed vy JAMIA, May PO, bs @ Vet PT he were far below the stated maximum permissible levels. The return of tire Rongeiap people to their home island was associated with a rise of their body burdens of '"Cs and “Zn and *Sr. How- ever, by 1961 the whole body content of '"’Cs had apparently reached an equilibrium with the environment at about 14.7 muc per kilogram of body weight and the *Zn had fallen to low values. The levels of *"Sr by 1964 showed a slight decline over previous levels to about 10 ¢- 12 mpc for adults and 20 maec for children (about 5% and 10% respectively of the maximum permissible level for members of the population at large). The possible relation of internal absorption of radioiodines in the fallout iritially to the recent development of thyroid nodules was referred to before. No other effects of such exposure have been detected. It should be noted that the 1ith year examination, currently in progress (March 1965), has turned up three more cases of thyreid nodules in exposed people. one in an acult, The type and character of *he nodules have not yet been determined. westigation was supported in part by the US Atomic | Jommission and the Trust Territory of the Pacitic Islands. Cap. C. A. Broaddus. MC, USN, performed the surgery. Sections of tissues were reviewed and reported on by S. Warren, MD, G. H. Klink, MD, C. J. Stahl, MD, H. A. Johnson, MD, and S. Lindsas MP 1 oth Thompson carried out the chi-square test, and | oaph dJaiies and John Gofman, MD, calculated the thyroid dose io the children. References 1. Cronkite. E.P., et al: Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Human Beings. Report on Marshallese and Americans Accidentally Exposed to Rachation From Fallout and Discussion of Radiation Injury in Human Being. US Siovcrument Printing OfFec, TOE, ay Pine 2. Conard. R.A.. et al: Medical Survey of Hongelap Peopie Kight Years After Exposure to Fallout, Brookhaven National Laboratovy Repart TAP OP one) baie deet pp 274. 3. Conard, R.A.) Attempt te Quantify Same Ciinical Criteria of Aging. / Gerontology 18:°58-365, 1960. 4 te, Wow, Conard. QAl and Griffith, KML: Growth Studies of Wiinicen Raposed to Fallout Nadiation in’ Marshall Islands, Pedeatrica to he published BGhtrae Tie, et os. Dinnvrend Noelalee Occuring Later Alter Tiestment ot Vhvrotoxicosis With Radiondine, J Clin Endocr 22:5 18 (Jani 1962 Co Fondeay, S. and Chaikeoff, EL.. Effecta ef Irradiation on Theraid (feed Wilh Dar icuiar teterence to Induction of Thyreid Neoonlantes) Pevica, Concer ites 24:1099.2 707, 1962.