6 15 children whoare part of the coritrol series for the growth and development studies. Several Rongelap people of the exposed group and the comparison population group whowereliving in Majurg were also examined. The-Navy kindly furnished a ship, the LST USS Dgval County. The team met at Eniwetok where gheship had put in to onload the 21-ton steel nbom which hadbeen stored there andalso the medical equipmentand supplies. The medical team was berthed andfed aboardtheship for the expedition. The ship was beached at Rongelap and Utirik for easy accessibility to the villages. Attitudes of Rongelap People Whenthe team arrived at Rongelap, the magistrate of the village indicated that there was some confusion and uncertainty in the minds of some of the people as to the necessity and significance of repeated medical examinations. He thoughtit wise to call a meeting of the village people in the council house so that they could ask questions to help clarify the situation. For the past 5 years during which the annual examinations have been going on there had been no problem in maintaining excellent rapport with the people, and, indeed, the relations of the team members with the Rongelapese were always cordial andfriendly. It was recognized that there was slightly increasing resistance to blood sampling procedures. Also there was some discontent that, because of the high Sr*° content, they were forbidden to eat coconut crabs, which they consider a delicacy (Figure 4). Since the return of the people to Rongelap, copra production had not increased to the extent that the Trust Territory officials had hoped. Consequently, since copra production is the prime sourceofincome, there was some concern over the slowness with which the people were getting back on their feet economically. It had become necessary to extend food subsistence beyond the timeoriginally planned. Fishing was not being carried on as actively as it should have been. At the village meeting the main questions centered around the necessity for the continued medical examinations in view of statements on the part of the medical team in the past that the people were generally in good health. It was difficult to explain to them that, though they appeared to be in good health and to have recovered from the acute effects of radiation,very little was known about the possible late effects of radiation, and continued examinations were essential in order to detect and treat any untowardeffects, should they arise. The coconut crab problem was brought up again, and the reasons for prohibiting their consumption carefully explained throughtheinterpreter. To correct a misconception that sev@m! cases of fish poisoning during the past year had been due to eating radioactivefish, it was @¢t- plained that fish poisoning had been going onin these islandsfor years and was not connected! adioactivity. After much discussion, it seemed that the people weresatisfied with answers to the questions, and preparations for the examinations proceeded. Thereafter complete cooperation and the usualfriendly relations prevailed throughout the stay on theisland. During the examinations a United Nations team visited Rongelap. A meeting with the people was held in the church (Figure 5), and manyaspects of the Rongelapsituation were discussed. The report of the UN group was favorable toward the special medical assistance being rendered the people. Upon completion of the 1959 survey, a meeting was held for the people, and they were advised that they were found to be generally in good health with no serious effects of their radiation exposure apparent, but that continued examinations would be necessary in order to insure continued good health. They were also advised to try to improve their oral hygiene and observe sanitary rules to control the flies on the island. Before the team left the island, a party was held for the Rongelapese. The Navy kindly furnished a meal, and small gifts were exchanged as tokens of appreciation of muta] cooperation. Figure 4. Coconut crab (robber crab, Sirgus /atro), considered a delicacy by the Marshallese. (Photo courtesy American Museum of Natural History, New York, N.Y.) Gas y"