19

urements were determined in children. Compari-

sons have been made between the numbers exam-

ined each year. Excluding those who wereshifted
into the adult study, the total over-all attrition

rate between 1958 and 1959 was 10%. Ofthe 18
children not seen in 1958 but examinedin 1959,

14 were babies bornin the interval between the

two examinations.

The age distribution of children examined in

1959 wasas follows:

Age, yr
4to9

210

Total

19

15

34

Table 7

26
6
?

26
9
?

20
82
15
60

Incidence of Chronic Impetigo (Active)

Exposed

Nonexposed with
exposed parents
Nonexposed, Rongelap
Nonexposed, Majuro
Utirik

20
30
?

The occurrence of various medical conditionsis

summarized in Table 6. There seemed to be no

concentrationofclinical abnormalities in the exposed groups. Since the incidence of many of these
conditions could have been related to the ages of

Age, yr
<4
Exposed
Nonexposed with

exposed parents

13/30

Nonexposed, Majuro

the children at the time of examination, twoof the

most frequent findings, active chronic impetigo
and palpable liver over 3 cm in size, were tabulated separately for several different age groups

7/20

Nonexposed, Rongelap

Patent ductusarteriosus (repaired)
‘Deformity of the hip
Pectus excavatum
Bifid uvula

In addition, the incidence of congenital hypoplasia of the middle phalanx ofthe fifth finger was
determined from inspection of the roentgenograms
of the left hand. The incidencein relation to varlous exposure categories was as follows:
Incidence
Exposed, Rongelap |

Nonexposed with exposed parents
Nonexposed, Rongelap

Nonexposed, Majuro

3

cy

oc}

a|

qu)

Utirik (low exposure)

2/33
0/4
5/53

0/14

5/51

7/19

3/15

10/34.

7/26

5/26

25/82

0/6

0/9

7/20

0/13

Age, yr
<4
Exposed
Nonexposed with
exposed parents
Nonexposed, Rongelap
Nonexposed, Majuro

1 (Subject #805)

1 (Subject #2269)

Total

Incidence of Palpable Liver (Over 3 cm)

2/20
6/30

4-9

210

Total

5/19

O/15

5/34

5/26
1/6

0/26
1/9

2/20
11/82
2/15

Table 9

1 (Subject +896)

1 (Subject #2265)

310

Table 8

(Tables 7 and 8). The ages were based on the best
available birth date estimations. A tendencyfor
these findings to occur more frequently in the

youngerchildren was noted. Theincidences, however, did not appearto be related to exposure to
radiation.
During the physical examinations, the following
congenital anomalies were recorded:

4.9

Pediatric Dispensary Visits During 1959 Survey
Presenting complaint

Numberofpatients

Cough
Back or limb pain
Skin sores
Otitis

1

Diarrhea
Anorexia

Headache
Worms

Loss of hearing
Laceration

Abdominal!pain

— ere RD OO Ow Ww Oo oO

<4

Hypoplasia of the middle phalanx has been reported as occurring in the normal population in
incidences ranging from 0.5% to 5.2%. The anomaly was found to have considerably greater frequency (25%) in Japanese children.”* The over-all
incidence in the Marshallese children was 0.77%.
Pediatric dispensary work wascarried out preceding and following the regular examinations. In
all, 36 children were treated. The presenting complaints are shown in Table 9.

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