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vwaich reached & peak tetween 3 end 10 yours after ampegure, was acted.
Therefore, the next five yeazss ie a critioni peried fer the develepment of sadiation incuced leukenia in the Marghaliess. dr. f. 8.
Lewis (Sefemos 1251965-72, 1957) bane enloulateds that mdiation nay
cause 2 x 10° cases of leukemia per remtgen per year. Thus if a
nermal incidence of 25 leukeniea cases per million por yeas is taken,
& alngle case of ieukewia developing after 175 ¢ would represent 4
provatdlity ef about 14 out ef 15 tet euch a atone wee Gre te this
expegure in individuals less than 40 years of age.
in older pesple would be slightly lees.
The psovald lity
Therefoee, the eticlesy of
ach a case wuld have te be regarded ag mest probably due te radiation
exposure.
Since the average tine fren disgusaia te death is come
fognea of leukemia is less than a sear, aanual surveys fer leukemia
ere essential in order that a pesaible ease is net aiseed.
3. Mavisorne:telCoptanieton. Another eltustion thet needs continued
checking in the next few years is the influence of low levels of residual
radiation centanination of Rencelap Atei! and the tedy tusden ef radio
isetepes that the people are accumilating intemally. Befere the people
were returned te Rongelap Atoll, mumereue surveys showed the island te
be safe for batdtetion. As was te be expected, however, the return of
the pesple has resulted in sene inerense in bedy Levels of radialestepes.
These levels are presently cunsidersed acceptable since they are far
below the pernissible limits which have bean set by the National Con~
mittee en Radiation Pretection for Industrial Populations. Nevertheless
Altele or nething is know sbeout such enfety linite when intemal ex
pestire is conaldered in combination with whele becy radiation such as
the Marshallese euatained.
Tu wiew of the above steted facts, centinued eumeination of the Rongelap people is considered necessary on a yearly baais wmtil mich tine
as it is the sedical concensus that emeninations be reduced in fre
quency. This metter bag been discussed at some length with nedical
experts in this field, many ef whou have participated in pest surveys.
There ia unaniseus agreesent on this paint.
As @ result of recent conferences with Trugt Territery officials, in-
cluding Ur. H. H. Macdonald, Directer of Feblic Health, the Trust
Territory has agreed te take a mere active part in the surveys.
This
is considered & very ixportant step ferward end has seny faveratie
aspecta including the feilewlng:
(1) The presence of Trust Territesy
medical personnel will sake the euminzatioms seer sore routine, redueing seme dagree of disturbing influence eccagloned by the preamce of
&@ large cutaide group visiting the island; (2) Sinse the Trugt Tersitory has the continued responsibility of the gemeral health of the
Maraghaliese peeple, participation im theese surveys will give then
greater insight inte the problens asseciated with radiological a
posure and creater continuity of observations may be expected during
the interim between surveys; (3) If the Trust Territecy will be willing
te furnish one of thelr ships fer taking the 23 ten steel reen to
Rongelap on some of the future surveys, thie uill avald the disturhiag
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