39
for all age groups, a relatively low figure compared with that for Japanese and American
socicties.
age 54) died of a eenitourinary infection com-’
plicating diabetes even though she (along with the
other cases) had been placed on oral therapy with
Orinase (tolbutamid tablets). (It was later found
that these patients did not take the tablets consistently.)
Table 26 compares the mortality from diabetes
in the United States?’ and the Marshall Islands.
The incidence appears higher in the Marshall
Islands and on Rongelap Island (based onits
small population). It should be noted that, since
only routine urine examinations were done on the
Rongelap people, the incidence of diabetes may
actually be higher. The greater incidence of deaths
due to diabetes in the Marshall Islands than in the
United States in 1956 and 195777 is statistically
significant (0.01 >p> 0.001).
Thyroid Metabolism
Table 24 showsresults of protein boundiodine,
total iodine, and butanol extractable iodine deter-
minations. The 12 samples obtained in 1959
showed values definitely lower than the 1958
values, although several readings werestill some-
what high. It was thought that the high 1958
levels must have been due to contaminated glassware in spite of the great care taken to maintain
strict cleanliness.
Glucosuria
On routine urine analysis during the 1959 sur-
vey one male and four females (all in the unexposed group) were found to have glucosuria; all
but oneofthese also had anelevated fasting blood
sugar level* (see Table 25). These individuals
were considered to have mild diabetes mellitus.
Later during the year one ofthese cases ( #854, F,
Serum Vitamin B,,
Analysis of the 15 serum samples obtained in
1959 again showed, as in 1958, vitamin B,, levels
slightly higher than normal. The mean value was
714 pug/ml, with a range of 312 to 1500. A scattergram oflevels for both years was plotted against
white blood count, since it has been shownthatin
leukemia the white cells have a higher B,, binding
"We are grateful 1o Dr. W.W. Fennel at Kwajalein for having
the blood sugar analyzed. .
DOE ARCHIVES
Table 23
Results of Complement Fixation Tests on Rongelap People, 1959, by Age and Sex
(Positive Reactions of Serum Dilutions 1-10)
HA 1
HA 2
Long —
CA
LGV
(Respiratory
No.in FluA
FluB (Parainfluenza3) (Parainfluenzal) (Parainfluenza2) syncitial, CCA) Adeno Mumps
Age,
age
yr
group No.
&% No %
No.
%o
No.
%o
No.
To
No.
%
No % No. %
(Psittacosis
group)
No.
&%
QF
(Q fever)
No. %
Females
1-5
6-15
16-40
>40
0
17
24
20
4
4
17
20
9
7
Total
61
8
13
16
38
35
8
19
16
47
79
80
26
43
70
0
1
1
4
5
6
14
6
35
58
30
14
16
10
82
67
50
2
3
26
43
40
66
Il
11
9
1060
10
6
33
29
29
1
2
I
4
6
3
3
6
iS
29,
«320-63
4
41
3?
72
;
2
6
12 #1
2
3
1
6
13
5
2
2
1
12
8
5
8
13
5
8
5
68
3
5
14
29
1
#1
3
8
5
18
1
8
COSC
1
2
6
5
Males
I- 5
1
6-15
16-40
>40
12
21
«17
!
4
6
8 2
19 8
35 12
17
38
71
1!
18
14
92
86
82
Total
51
11
22 22
43
43
84
0
92
52
53
BOB
Females Pius Males
Total
112
———
19
17 38
34
86
77
0
a
3
6416
14
#10
9