(
fx0, Tage oe
oe je
t
ac tenald AAA,
(
\
1962 MEDICAL MISSION TO THE MARSHALLS
WILLIAM C. MoLoney, M.D.,’32, Ciinical Professor of Medicine
401817
Tufts University School of Medicine
20 MEGATON EXPLOSION
N March I, 1954, a thermonuclear weapon was detonated on Bikini Atoll in
the Marshall Islands. This explosion, in the
20 megaton range, yielded a force
1000
times greater than that of the atomic bomb
which devastated Hiroshima. Due to an
medical facilities were available. Within a
few days, teams of experts from the Naval
Medical Research Institute and the U. S.
Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory
were quickly organized and flown out to
the Marshalls. Under their supervision extensive studies were carried out on the ex-
posed groups. In addition to detailed medi-
unexpected shift in the prevailing winds, the
radioactive debris, gouged out of the atoll. cal observations and laboratory tests, the
by the fireball, drifted eastward in a great amount and characteristics of the radioaccigar-shaped cloud. Passing over the north- tivity wére- investigated. In these studies
eastern atolls of the Marshall group, an in- AEC laboratories and other agencies were
tensely radioactive fallout was deposited as employed in collection of data on internal
a visible dust-like material. Fortunately, contamination and other technical aspects
of the problem.
Following several months of observation,
rik, lying from 70 to 100 miles east of Bi-
the Utirik natives were allowed to go back
to their island. However, Rongelap Atoll
dioactive cloud, there were 82 natives and
28 American service men. The 64 people
ple were moved to a temporary village on
Majuro Island. In 1957 Rongelap Atoil
atolls of Alinginae, Rongelap and Ronge-
kini, and on the southern fringe of the ra-
on Rongelap were the most heavily radiated and during approximately 48 hours be-
remained highly radioactive, and these peo-
was considered safe for habitation and the
Rongelap people were transported back to
fore evacuation received an estimated total
‘their island where a new village had been
fallout. In addition, the dust-like material
settled on the skin and in the hair causing
superficial burns due to beta radiation. On
ship of the AEC and various government
agencies and with the assistance of a group
of professional and technical consultants,
body dose of 175r from gamma emitting
Rongerik Atoll, a group of 28 American
service men and on Alinginae, 18 natives
received estimated gamma radiation of 78r
and 69r respectively before evacuation
and decontamination. Further east, on
Utirik Atoll 300 miles from Bikini, 157
Marshallese
received
approximately
14r
constructed. Since 1954 under the sponsor-
annual surveys have been carried out on the
Marshallese. The results of these investigations have been published in a
series of
comprehensive reports, the first in 1956 entitled “Some Effects of Ionizing Radiation
on Human Beings” and edited by E. P.
Cronkite, V. P. Bond and C. L. Dunham.
but by the time the radioactive cloud
reached Utirik, much of the fallout had been
Subsequent reports, the latest entitled “Med-
burns due to beta radiation of the skin.
the 1961 survey, have been issued from
the Brookhaven National Laboratory by
R. A. Conard and his co-workers.
dissipated. In this population there were no
STUDIES
Within 24 to 72 hours all the exposed
individuals were evacuated, either by plane
or ship, to Kwajalein where U. S. Navy
ical Survey of
FOLDER
WA
Seven
cal Survey of the Rongelap people, I was
land - SOO"
BOX Ne.
People
8TH ANNUAL SURVEY
Onthe occasion of the 8th Annual Medi-
AS
c’
aggositorySAN L Kec De
COLLECTION (aes hall |
Rongelap
Years After Exposure to Fallout,” covering
S53
Tufts Medical Alumni Bulletin
The Medical Research Center
Brookhaven’ National Laboratory
Upton, L. I, New York
Ter ReTAYiRRC ne
the most heavily contaminated northern
atolls were unoccupied. However, on the