. C - i an eo A BRIEF SUMMARY OF MEDICAL FINDINGS _US DOE ARCHIVES IN By MARE TORIC I. f Sao Y EXPOSED TO RADIOACTIVE FALLODPT Collection DBM -£P Files Robert A, voneeehM ox_@060 Sob 7723 ACS Leds Folder Yea-7 (Enuswetok) J This report is a brief summary of medicalfindingsover a_span of “ 4 iy twenty years in the Marshallese people who were accidentally exposed to the redioactive failout in 1954. In addition, a few comments ere includ- ed on the radiological monitoring of personnel at Bikini. The people on Rongelap Island received the highest exposure. estimated gamma dose was 175 rads. The This dose fortunately did not cause any acute deaths but did cause significant depression of blood elements. No severe infections nor any bleeding tendencies were observed while this _ depression lasted. Contamination of the body with fallout resulted in development of so called "beta" burns of the skin with spotty loss of hair beginning several weeks after exposure. Blood cell function had re- gained nearly normal levels by one year, and "beta" burns healed in several weeks with only minimal scarring and with regrowth of hair. were less extensive in the 28 U.S. servicemen present in the Utirik people, These efiects on Rongerik and were not Though radiochemical urine analysis showed significant absorption of radionuclides, particularly radioiodines, no acute effects of this internal exposure were discernible and we mistakenly thought that there would be no late effects. Follow-up examinations during. the first decade, showed few findings that could be correlated with radiation exposure. The exposed people were generally as healthy and with apout the same incidence oi diseases es the unexposed population. radiation exposure. No deaths occurred which could be related to Possibly relared to radiation exposure, wes an increése to about double the number of miscerriages and stillbirths in the exposes eV