. . ,. ,, . strate my medical o?inion of the hazards that the l“larshallese people are facing and will continue to face in the I a-in hopeful that the statistical and medical future. studies which I have recc~.mended will delineate more “ clearly the injury to the ifiarshallese, and allow the ]~ar~halle~e lea~e~-s a better opportunity to understand tk,e problem of their islands. This collection of information can well lead to an improvement in diagnosis of hitherto unrecognized food-chain radiation caused diseases, to the identification of the channels thro’ugh which injury occurs, and ulti~iate result in better treatrrientand even prophylaxis of oiie type of another againt the development of such disease, -- for example, the prophylactic use of inorganic iodine, lessening further absorption by radiofrom food by blocking iodine upta’ke. active lodir,e t7ery siricerely yours, @@?&< &k R.R. Merliss, M.D. RWl :1S LTR217-F . . -12- ..