indirect fallout radiation rather than direct radiation as most of the Japanese
received at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. (Body burdens of various doses of internally
absorbed radiation were experienced by the Marshallese). At the same time,
the children probably received higher doses of total body gamima radiation.
than the adults because they are smaller and closer to the ground and the
fallout.

Theorists claim that the small numbers involved inean that it is

statistically unlikely for a genetic effect to occur. Yet the people feel that
even if there is a small chance of anything occurring they want a program
to be able to detect it.

At present, they worry because their children are not
included as part of the regular examinations.
Medical records create another large problem in providing care.

Because of the research nature of the program all the detailed examination
‘records on the people are kept at Brookhaven rather than with the resident
-physician.

People complain that they have told the doctor the same problems

for several years yet he fails to help them.

The doctor cannot recognize

the complaints because each patient's chart is over 8,000 miles away.

To

a clinical practicing physician the patient's chart is an important part of

providing good quality of care.

In the United States no doctor would think

of examining patients in New York and hope to provide good care if all his
patient records were in Honolulu. The lack of these records to be readily
available impedes patient care. At present, a summary sheel of pertinent
data is provided each year but lacks the precise description of a finding as
given by a physician that could be important. A request to shift the records
or a duplicate set to the islands was considered impossible and a request for a
secretary to upgrade the jocal system was met with budget obstacles.

3.

Bikini.

The people at Bikini wish to be included in as intense a medica!

care program as conducted al Rongelap just as Utirik desires the same care.
The people living ut Bikini fear the “poison" (radiation) that might be lingering
on the island. The official policy is that there 1s no reason to conduci a
medical survey program on these people as they received no radiation exposure.
A massive clean up and replanting operation supposedly eliminated residual
radiation. However, environmental studies still show areas of radiation
concentration. In addition, the people have been asked not to eat.certain
local foods because of the possible danger of radiation. The people worry

about the potential danger of secondary doses of radiation received from

eating local food, drinking the water, and just ground exposure. Recenily,
plutonium was discovered for the first time in significant levels in the urine

of residents of Bikini indicating the people are absorbing some radiation.
Tne people fail to understand how scientists can say they do not knowall
the possible late effects the radiation can cause, that indeed plutonium and
other lingering radiation exists on the island such that some foods cannot
be eaten, and then tell the people there is no danger and a medical program
is unnecessary.
If in forty or fifty years medical problems do occur as a result of the
exposure, it would be better if a well designed medical program was already
in progress to detect the problems. Waiting to devise a program until after
the events occur as has happened at Utirik would be contrary to the basic

SO1t 3496

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