BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
2. Determinations by the Health and Safety Laboratory, New York Operations
Office.
Perry, New York
Powdered milk, January—August 1957: 3—4.7 strontium units
New York City
Liquid milk, January —August 1957: 3-6.5 strontium units
Mandan, North Dakota
Powdered buttermilk, January-July 1957: 4-17 strontium units (May 1956:
17 strontium units)
.
Ithaca, New York
Cabbage, July 24, 1957: 23 strontium units
Beans, July 29, 1957: 6 strontium units
MEDICAL SURVEY OF RONGELAP AND UTIRIK PEOPLE, MARCH 1957
The final report on the medical survey of the Marshallese made in March 1957, three
years after their exposure to radioactive fallout, has been completed.* Examinations were
carried out at Majuro in the Marshall Islands on 82 people of Rongelap who had been exposed
to the heaviest fallout (doses estimated at about 175 roentgens) and on a comparison group of
unexposed Rongelap people, matched for age and sex. In addition, 144 people of Utirik Island
were examined from a Navy LST. The Utirik Islanders were exposedto the least fallout
(doses estimated at about 14 roentgens) of any of the exposed people of the Marshall Islands.
The medical survey of the Rongelap people showed them to be in generally good health.
The following summarizes the findings:
1. Acute and subacute effects
a. Penetrating radiation
(1) Diseases. In general, the incidence of disease, infectious and noninfectious, was about the same in exposed and unexposed groups. No symptoms were present that could be related to radiation effects. Several
interesting findings were noted in both the irradiated and unirradiated
groups:
(a) The incidence of congenital anomalies was high,
(b) Arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease appeared to be as
frequent as in Americans,
(c) Peptic ulcer and psychic disturbances were rare,
(d) The incidence of dental caries was very high,
(e) Intestinal parasitism was widespread.
(2) Nutrition. Nutrition appeared to be as good in the exposed asin the
unexposed groups.
*Report in preparation for publication.
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