23

ranged from 20 to 26 months, with an average of
22.4 months.
To determine whether or not some pattern in
physique characterized these children with retarded osseous development, several physical
measurements (from the 1959 study) on them and
on their sibs were compared (Table 13). These
anthropometric data suggested twotrends. First,
the weight rankings corresponded to chronological
age rankings and notto statural rankings. Second,
the lack of synchrony in rankings of several measurements was noticeable in those children who
were shorter than their younger sibs. This contrasted with the uniform ranking of al] measurements in those whose statural ranking corresponded with the chronological age ranking.
It might be speculated from these limited observations that these children were exposedto radiation at a particularly vulnerable age and that the
resulting retardation in osseous development led
to failure in statural growth. On the other hand,
itis not possible to exclude completely the possibility that some process unrelated to radiation
damage was responsible for the retardation in
skeletal development.
ADULT ABNORMALITIES

Table 14 is a compilation of the various physical
abnormalities noted in the adult group during the
1959 and 1960 surveys. No abnormalities are included for 1960 in the unexposed group because
this group was not examined in the 1960 survey.
This table does not showanysignificant differ-

ences between the abnormalities noted in the ex-

malities, and in the older group 41%. Specific
findings maybe summarizedasfollows.
Electrocardiographic Findings

1. Rhythm. In the younger group of exposed
subjects, all had normal rhythm. One abnormality
of rhythm was seen in a member of the younger
unexposed group.In the older groups, arrhythmia
occurred in 3 of 14 exposed individuals andin 4 of
29 unexposed.
2. Conduction Times. Few abnormalities were
seen. No individual in either the exposed or the
unexposed group had prolonged auriculoventnicular conduction time (P-R interval) above normal.
Several subjects had the shorter conduction time
of 0.12 sec; this is considered normal. The intra-

ventricular conduction time (QRS interval) was
prolongedin several subjects. In the younger unexposed group, the ORSinterval was 0.10 to 0.11
sec in one subject, sufficient to be considered right
bundle branchblock. In the exposed population
the intraventricular conduction time was prolonged to 0.12 sec in only one individual, age 81,
who had a marked degree of hypertensive and
arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cardiac
enlargement. Among 29 individuals in the older
unexposed group, two showed intraventricular
conduction times of 0.12 sec without the typical
QRScomplex of bundle branch block. In all other
subjects the intraventricular conduction time
ranged from 0.06 to 0.09 sec in the younger groups
and 0.08 to 0.09 in the older.
3. Electrical Axis Deviation and Electrical Posi-

fion of the Heart.

There were fewvariations. The

posed and in the unexposed populations. Results
of special examinations are discussed below.
CARDIOVASCULAR SURVEY

Table 15 YOR ARCHIVES
Electrocardiographic Abnormalities

(Percent Incidence in Younger and Older Age Groups)
Exposed

The cardiovascular findings may be found in
the table of physical abnormalities (Table 14).
The incidence of various electrocardiographic ab-

normalities is shown in Table 15. The population

was divided into a younger group, aged 20
through 49, and an older group, aged > 50. In the
exposed population, the younger group of 24
people showed no major abnormalities, but of the
14 older people 29% showed one or more abnormahities. In the unexposed population, amongthe
younger group 15% had one or more abnor-

Age

Abnormality

Rhythm
A-V
I-V
RST
T wave

Unexposed
Age

20-49
(24)*

2950
(14)

0

21

12
0
0
0

7
7
21

Age

20-49
(35)

2

2
4
2
11

Age

250
(29)

14

3
7
14
34

*Number examined.

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