Table 1
Summary of Fallout Effects
Group*
Composition
Fallout observed
mgeLap
64 Marshallese
Heavy (snowlike)
linginae
18 Marshallese
Moderate (mistlike)
ngerik
28 Americans
Moderate (mistlike)
irik
157 Marshallese
None
SC
Estimated gamma
Extent ‘of
dose, rads
:
skin lesions
175
;
,
Extensive
69
Less extensive
78
Slight
14
No skin lesions
or epilation
Lso exposed were 23 Japanese fishermen who received a sublethal dose.
During this period vigorous efforts were necessary to decontaminate the skin
completely.
In view of the generally negative findings on the American servicemen, they
were later returned to their duty stations.
The Utirik people were also allowed
to return to their home island, where radioactive contamination was slight enough
to allow safe habitation.
Because Rongelap Atoll was considered to be
too highly
contaminated, a temporary village was constructed for the Rongelap people (including
the 18 from Ailinginae) on Majuro Atoll several hundeed miles to the south, where
they lived for the following 3-1/2 years and were examined at yearly intervals by
a special medical
team.
In July 1957,
after careful evaluation of radioactive
contamination, Rongelap Island was considered safe for habitation.
A new village
wag constructed, and the Rongelap people were moved there by Navy ship.
Annual surveys by a Brookhaven medical team are carried out at Rongelap
and also at Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, where a number of Rongelap and Utirik
people now reside.
Examinations on Utirik Atoll are carried out about once every
3 years.
A group of more than 100 Rongelap people, who were relatives of the exposed...
people but had been away from the island at the time of the eccident, moved
back with the exposed people to their home island and have served as an ideal
comparison population for the studies,
2.2.
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Nine years after the detonation, thyroid abnormalities began to
appear
in the exposed Rongelap population, especially {n persons who
were less than 10
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