Aono
September 22, 1975
Mr. Roger Ray, Assistant Manager
repository
for Environment & Safety
U. S. Energy Research & Development Administration
COLLECTION
P. 0. Box 14100
BOX Ne.
Nevada Operations Office
Las Vegas, Nevada
689114
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MARYA Dsus FotoveFo.
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Dear Mr. Ray:
Thank you for instrumenting my return to Bikini Atoll to see what I could
do to be helpful to the people and the future of the dispensary.
I
appreciate your kindness.
I went to Bikini in December 1974 as a fisherman for the University of
During this trip I was asked to see patients on Bikini by Jaramia
Lavidicus, the resicent health aide.
I found Jaramia capable, intelligent,
willing, anxious, involved and deeply concerned person.
He understood
English quite well and acted as interpreter.
Several patients were seen
that opened my eyes to some of Jaramia's problems.
The first was a boy quite sick, a high temperature and had been getting
penicillin injections.
He was completely listless, apathetic and had quite
obviously not been taking adequate liquid.
His fever at this point was due
to dehydration.
The patient was instructed to take 2 oz. water every hour
and nothing else for 24 hours.
Oral penicillin tablets would be just as
effective as injections and less dangerous to the patient's life.
The
‘patient became hydrated and was much improved the next day.
The lessons
gained here are at least two.
The first is that penicillin by injection
is a dangerous drug, people develop sensitivities to it.
It may cause an
anaphylactic reac:ion and almost immediate death,
Such a death from the
injection of penicillin would destroy the value of the medical’ aide to the
people as they would be inclined to feel that he was the cause.
penicillin, in most cases, is perfectly adequate for general use.
an infinitely less likelihood of causing a severe
individual taking it.
Oral
It has
anaphylaxis in the
In the best hospitals and medical centers there are
deaths due to penicillin by injection.
I did find penicillin tablets that were not outdated but looked as if they
had been exposed to moisture and were not likely to be useful.
This was
the only oral antibiotic that I could find on the premises and I explained
to Jaramia that oral antibiotics, especially tetracycline and penicillin,
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would be preferable to almost any kind of injection except under every
extreme circumstances, such as meningitis.
He appreciated, understood and
accepted the suggestion.
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BIKINI TRIP REPORT
Hawaii.
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