UNCLASSIFIED As you know, the Commission has accepted the responsibility for .periodically examining the Rongelap natives as a routine precautionary measure, In March 1955 a second medical recheck Was conducted under the leadership of Dr, Eugene P, Cronkite of the Commission's Brookhaven National Laboratory, accompanied by Lt. Cmdr, Samuel D. McPherson, an ophthalmologist presently on duty at the Naval Medical Hospital at Bethesda, and Dr. Charles L. Dunham, Deputy Director of the Commission's Division of Biology and Medicine, The survey team found that the Rongelapians are in excellent general health with the exception of a few individuals suffering from chronic diseases which were present prior to March 1, 1954 and unrelated to the fallout incident, All individuals! white blood counts fall within the normal range, although the mean for the entire group is somewhat below that of the control population. All skin lesions have healed, Dr, McPherson, at the request of the native ophthalmologist, performed a number of cataract operations. None of the cataracts, however, were related to the effects of the March 1, 1954 fallout. It was also pointed out in our earlier letter that the Commission, in cooperation with the Trust Territory and the University of Hawaii, was investigating the possibility of undertaking certain agricultural programs to increase food production for the Marshall Islanders, The Commission has offered to assist the Government of the Trust Territories in any way possible in researches directed toward crop improvement in the Marshall Islands, but, thus far, no specific request hes been received by the Commission for assistance, For your information I am attaching a list of the major categories of expenditures incurred by the Commission for the various activities covered in this letter. In addition to these, we understand the Commander, Joint Task Force-7 will have expended £233;203 by June 30, 1955 for rehabilitation of the Marshallese, 50,365 of which was reimbursed to the Commission for construction of housing on Ejit Island in the Majuro Atoll for the temporary resettlement of the Rongelapians. I hope the information set forth in this letter will assist the Department in preparing its report for presentation at the Trusteeship Council this month, I heave teken the liberty of sending cosries of this letter to Secretary Wilson and Secretary McKay. Sincerely yours, /s/ Lewis L. Strauss Cnairman Enclosures Mr, David McK, Key Assistant Secretary Department of State Cepzteat ote. Kosfcracts pA Cl on rete oS eA