It was determined that the radiation consisted primarily of gamma and beta rays of various energies. The beta radiation was of low energy and failed to penetrate deeply into the skin layer and was the cause of the superficial burns seen on the Rongelap people. Doses of this radiation ranged from 2000 rads at the feet to 300 rads at the head. Gamma radiation on the other hand is a high energy form that could penetrate the entire body. estimates for the gamma dose are 175 rads at Rongelap. Dosage 69 rads at Ailingnae and 14 rads at Utirik. A third source of exposure was thai of the internal absorption of various radioisotopes from inhalation of the fallout and ingestion of contaminated food and water. These figures have been more difficult to determine, Various parts of the body were exposed to varying degrees of all these radiation sources. The thyroid gland, for example, received both gamma ‘and internal radioisotope exposure. Estimates on the dose received by the thyroid gland of people at Rongelap range from 220 to 450 rads for adults, to 700 to 1400 rads for children. For the people at Allingnae and Utirik, the thyroid dosages for adults were estimated to be 135 rads and 27 rads respectively. A detailed explanation of the dose assessment can be found in the 20 year report. ("A Twenty Year Review of Medical Findings in a Marshallese Population Accidentally Exposed to Radioactive Fallout", Brookhaven National Laboratory, Robert A. Conard, M.D., etal, 1975). Following their evacuation from Rongelap and Ailingnae in 1954, residual radiation contamination prevented the people from returning to their home island until 1957. As part of the resettlement, the village was yma eb adasr) POCGNNMIUSCVESG on ch AGG estHmHe plas Gams wt I ee DR othe. PELE POP wy 2h brs : TT Uw ao Oe as et ON ~ LUE Dey Commission. The people of Utirik were permitted to return to their island within six months after the explosion when it was detennined that the radiation was at safe levels for habitation. ‘The Bikini people were reinoved from their atoll in 1946 in order to provide the United States with a nuclear testing site. It was not until the early 1970's, after a 12 year absence of testing, a massive clean up operation, and environmental studies of the residual radiation, were the people allowed to begin to return to their island. Since 1957, a yearly medical surveillance program for the Rongelap people and a tri-yearly medical evaluation of the people of Utirik have been carried out by scientists and physicians of Brookhaven National Laboratory under the direction of Robert Conard, M.D. In 1973, a Brookhaven physician, Knud Knudson, M.D., was stationed in the Marshall Islands as a result of the peoples' insistence on better medical evaluations. As a result of this insistence, medical surveys were increased to quarterly trips with yearly complete examinations at Rongelap, still tri-yearly examinations at Utirik and bi-yearly hematologic sulveys. The increased frequency of visits was also prompted by the death of a young Rongelapese man, exposed in 1954, from acute myelogenous leukemia attributed to the radiation effects. My association with the program began in June 1975 when I became the resident physician in the Marshall Islands, During my 14 months of work, many hours of discussions were had with groups of people from each atoll regarding the survey's work. What was found was a major difference in sxpectations between what the people perceived as their needs and. how the guy (2° 388 2