~ = 10 Dental Survey. Intra-oral examinations were a conducted as part of the physical examination. All- - patients were examined with mouthegirror and | explorer. [tamination was by standard operating ip Table } Age Distribution in Rongeigphdul Population, 1959, Used ii n Aging Study light. Salivary fH was taken by use.ofpHydrion — a2” Unexposed Tae die physical examination group; and a number of children at Uurik. ‘s Studies of Aging Criteria - M 20-24 0 30-34 3 40-44 45-49 30-4. 55-59 4 ] l 2 25~29 35-39 cence in the exposed group compared with the un- exposed population living on the sameisland. However, the data (presented in a later section on results) coHected during the 1959 survey (5 years after exposure) showed no apparent differences between the exposed and unexposed groups. Therefore the data from the two groups have been pooled with the objectives of presenting the methodology, indicating the trend of changes with age of the various aging criteria chosen, and attempting to determinea biological age score for individuals and different age groups. This study was hampered by the small number of people involved and the lack of vital! statistics on the Marshallese people. Anotherdifficulty has been the uncertainty of exact ages in some cases, particularly in older people. Data on agingcriteria were recorded only on adults 20 years of age and over. Of the 126 adults, 42 were in the originally exposed group and84 in the larger comparison population. Table | shows the age and sex distribution. The ages were reasonably well distributed except for a smaller number of older people (>60 years of age). The age criteria chosen were based on changes generally believed to be associated with physiological senescence andrepresent only a small number of the possible ones. They were selected witha | RESrcwroeees 0 65-69 70-74 75-79 0 1 0 - NE 2 F+= 5 F l 6 1 12 4 4 2 3 2 0 0 I 6 12 6 21 4 13 3 13 3 3 3 l 15 6 i] 7 2 0 ~ OQ- 3 0 0 5 3 1 1. R&S Agee pee Total 6 2 5 3 5 0 2 1° eT oa ges cx M 2” = = 3 0 14 5 126 ¥ “ah, t >80 i criteria of possible age changes for use“‘daringknor mal physical examination. Therefore the over-all objective of this study was to establish tests to evaluate any possible radiation-induced senes- i 60-64 Although the exposed group has shownnooutward evidence-vagrbleby gross observation of any accelerated‘aging effect of radiation,.it was thought desirable tachave available mcasurable 2 4 made. Intra-oral radiograms were not available. Dental examinations were carried outonthefollowing groups: 30 children at Majuro; all the aduits and children at Rongelap who were in the Age, vr cf other foodstuff:Saliva samplesWere collected from these patients at the time pH determinations were view toward ease of assessment during routine physical examination underfield conditions, time limitations, and language barrier. Therefore, unfortunately, tests of vigor and functional capacity were necessarily limited.* Of the 15 criteria selected, 9 were measured directly and 4 were estimated on a 0 through ++ scale. Five tests involved the integument: (1) skin looseness. (2) skin elasticity (retraction time), (3) senile changesin the skin, (4) greying of the hair, and (5) baldness. Four tests involved the special sense organs: {1) accommodation, (2) visual acuity, (3) arcus senilis, and (4) hearing. The cardiovascular system was tested by (1) systolic and (2) diastolic blood pressure recordings, (3) peripheral arteriosclerosis, and (4) retinal arteriosclerosis. There was one test of neuromuscular function. Vigor was measured by handstrength measurements. The test methodsare described below. integument. A special skin caliper was designed for measuring skin looseness andelasticity (Figure 8). The legs of the caliper can be opened to any desired degree up to 5 cm onscale A byadjusting screw &. The spring tension whenthecaliper is closed on a fold of skin results in a pressure of about 500 g. The inner andouter surfaces of the legs are calibrated in millimeter markings (C’). *Several tests, such as pulse and blood pressure response to a two-step test and vital capacity, were tried but not used because they proved unsatisfactory.