Attachment No.
1
REPORT OF WILLIAM S. COLE, M.D., MEDICAL CONSULTANT TO
THE SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE CONCERNING RONGELAP AND UTIRIK
ATOLLS, CONGRESS OF MICRONESIA, FROM THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE, BUREAU OF RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH, FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding, dated
September 21, 1972, I submit this report.
The observations
and opinions expressed are the result of my visits to Ebeye
Island, Rongelap Atoll, Utirik Atoll, and Majuro Island,
Marshall Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
from September 5, 1972, to September 23, 1972, with the
Brookhaven National Laboratory Medical Team.
During this
interval the following Marshallese were examined:
Exposed persons - Rongelapese
- Utirikese
32
76
Unexposed Rongelapese Control Group
16
Children of exposed Rongelapese
30
Children of unexposed Rongelapese
10
In addition, approximately 100 men, women, and children
were examined and treated for diseases not related to
radiation exposure. For example, more than 60 pairs of
charity-donated eyeglasses were dispensed to the people
of Rongelap and Utirik.
enteritis infection on both Rongelap and Utirik. In
addition, a localized epidemic of influenza occurred among
those people and the personnel of the Medical Team, resulting
in a quarantine of the involved islands. This proved to be
an additional handicap in the conduct of the examinations by
the Medical Team when it arrived at the Majuro Memorial
Hospital, Majuro Atoll.
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The visit of the Medical Team coincided with a serious
outbreak of upper respiratory diseases and an acute gastro-
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