FALL-OUT RADIATION—CONARD ET AL.
Vol. 164. No. 11
Internal Irradiation.—Radiochemical analysis of nu-
merousurine samples from the exposed persons showed
some degree of interna] absorption of radioactive materials, probably as a result of eating and drinking
contaminated food and water. Calculations of the body
burden of these materials, however. showed that the
concentration was too low to cause anyserious effect.
Analysis of urine samples six months after exposure
showed that there was only barely detectable radioactivity remaining in somecases.
These studies revealed that, other than the occur-
rence of skin lesions, loss of hair, and early symptoms.
there had been no other symptoms ordisease processes
encountered that could be attributed to radiation
effects, There had been no deaths. The diseases encountered had been no more severe or frequent than
in the nonirradiated population. This was true even
during the period when the greatest depression of the
peripheral blood elements occurred. It was difficult to
evaluate the effects on fertility. A number of apparently normal babies had been born, however, and
further pregnancies had occurred. Ophthalmoscopic
examinations andslit-lamp observations were made
initially and at one vear after the exposure. No opacity
of the lens or other eve changes were found that could
be attributed to radiation.
Present Findings
The present survey two years after exposure in-
cluded examination of the exposed Marshallese (64
Rongelap and 18 Ailingnae people, along with 10
babies born to these people since the event) and, in
addition, a control group of 57 unexposed Marshallese from Rita village on Majuro who werepreviously
examined at the time of the six-month survey. In addi-
tion, control data on blood from another group of 127
unexposed Marshallese from Majuro, obtained at the
time of the initial survey, was also used for comparison
of hematological findings.
History During Interval and Clinical Findings.—Both
the control and exposed groups had been in good
general health during the previous 12 months. An
epidemic of chickenpox, with no reported complications, involved a large percentage of both populations
in the interim between the one-year and two-year examinations. One case of uncomplicated measles occurred in the Rongelap group during the year. In this
period. five childbirths were reported among the
Rongelap people and onein the control group. These
infants have developed normally and are free of any
apparent abnormalities. Five Rongelap women and
three women in the control group currently have un-
complicated pregnancies. One child and an adult in
the exposed group wereseriously ill during the past
year and, recently after this survey (May 13, 1956),
one death. which will be discussed below, occurred
among the Rongelap people.
Physical examination revealed that the people of
both the exposed and control groups appeared to be
generally in good health and with good nutritional
status. Clinical abnormalities were not anusual and
were about equally distributed between the two
groups. With the exception of the residua of skin
lesions, none of the findings in the exposed groups
could be attributed to the effects of irradiation. A 77rs
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year-old man gave a history of paresis of the right
upper andleft lower extremities of nine months’ duration, with gradual improvement in strength and function during the previous few months. Clinical findings
substantiated a diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident.
An 11-vear-old boy had been hospitalized about a year
previously with acute rheumatic carditis and cardiac
decompensation. (This disease, though uncommon.
does occur in the Marshall Islands.) The diagnosis of
rheumatic heart disease with mitral stenosis and insufficiency was substantiated, and, at the time of examination, the boy was fully active without evidence
of decompensation.
On May18. 1956, a 46-year-old Rongelap man died
suddenlyafter an illness of about one hour. The patient had been quite well until his present illness,
except for two short illnesses, which occurred a year
ago and four months previously, and were characterized by pyrexia (102-104 F [38.9-40 C]) headaches
and bodyaches. general malaise, and a slight cough.
In addition, he had complained occasionally of vague
abdominal pain, but there were no associated physical
findings present. Previous physical examinations had
given essentially negative results except for hyper-
tension (blood pressure 148/104 mm. Hg), which was
present on the first examination, a few days after the
radiation exposure occurred (2 years previously ). The
condition no doubt antedated the exposure. The present illness was characterized by acute onset of dyspnea,
and the patient complained of abdominal pain. He
died before he could be brought to the hospital.
Autopsy and microscopic examination of tissues re-
vealed myocardial hypertrophy (left side) and _pericordial effusion with pulmonary and hepatic congestion;
benign nephrosclerosis; and coronary artery arteri-
osclerosis. A diagnosis of hypertensive heart disease
with congestive failure seemed justified. There was no
apparent causal relationship with radiation effects.
particularly since hypertension was undoubtedly present at the time of the radiation exposure.
Growth and Development: Growth and development, based on height and weight changes, were compared in nine males, between the ages of 3 and 15
years, and in nine females, between the ages of 5 and
19 years, from the exposed and control groups. Unfortunately, control data were only available from
the six-month and the present survey for compariscn,
and the numbers werelimited due to the inability to
locate some of the previously matched control children, The irradiated male children, compared to
matched controls at both six months and twoyears,
showed a mean deficiency of 2.1 in. (5.33 cm.) in
height and 6.5 Ib. (2.9 kg.) at six months after exposure and 7.2 lb. (3.4 kg.) at two years. There was
no real difference in the female children. Even though
slight differences were noted between the irradiated
and control male children, it is not possible to attach
any significance to these differences because of the
small number of children involved and uncertainties
concerning the racial homogeneity of the two populations. Greulich and co-workers,’ in surveys of Japanese
children who survived the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, noted retardation of growth and
development in the exposed male children, when com-