40.464 PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC. Upton, New York 11973 Mecical Department (516) 345- 3577 May 22nd 1978 Dr. Walter Weyzen DBER Department of Energy Washington, D.C. 20545 Dear Walter: I am writing regarding the letter and communications, copies of which I received from Mrs. Ruth Van Cleve, concerning the compensation of certain Rongelap people. First, the case of ) referred to in the letter from Senator Kabua. had a complete thyroidectomy in 1963 at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Guam. removed. During the surgery, the parathyroid glands were inadvertently The parathyroidectomy presents a more serious condition than the thyroidectomy, requiring a more precise and strict treatment regimen with lack of treatment resulting in more serious consequences, Therefore, one might wish to consider increased compensation in her case. On the other hand, there is no compensatory discrimination between those who have had thyroid surgery for benign and malignant lesions. The second case is that of _ referred to in Section | (5) of Mr. Winkel's letter of March 28, 1978 to Mrs. Van Cleve. This patient, according to our records, did not die of radiation-related cause. She had had a benign thyroid nodule removed in 1966 from which she recovered satisfactorily. She had a long history of pulmonary tuberculosis and it is believed she died a respiratory death related to that disease. I am enclosing copies of a letter to Art Upton and his and Beeke's response concerning consideration of radiation-induced malignancies. Sincerely yours, BAR Robert A. Conard, M.D. bwa/encls. PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED —l (WN 50 1 6 io 0