V4 DASA 2019-2 From the Marshallese experience we learned about certain factors that influence the development of ''beta burns.'' The Americans on Rongerik recognized the danger of the fallout and immediately went indoors in their Butler buildings. They took showers and changed clothes. As a result their skin exposure and internal exposure was minimal compared to the Rongelapese. The older Rongelap people who stayed indoors and others who went wading and swimming had fewer skin burns. A single layer of cotton clothing was proved to be sufficient to protect the skin. The internal absorption of the radioactive materials produced no acute effects that we could observe. They had three millicuries of fission products that were calculated to ‘:e in their gut but this pro- duced no effect that we could see. : Probably the strontium and radioicdine are the most serious of the radioisotopes that are present in this acute fallout situation.” DOBSON: Excuse me, Bob. they had in the put? liow many millicurics did you estimate CONARD: Three. DOBSON: Three? CONARD: Yes, threc. TAYLOR: Was that probably by inhalation? CONARD: Mostly ingestion. ‘The particle size of the fallout was too large for optimum absorption into the alveoli of the lungs. UPTON: Do you wish to imply that there were not depressing ef- fects on the marrow from internal contamination, Bob? CONARD: Yes, I feel that's true, since I think it was calculated that the dose over the whole period of time that the Marshallese received to their bones was in the order of sc veral rads—something of that nature. UPTON. Surprising. FREMONT-SMITH: Why does it surprise you?