6 15 children whoare part of the control series for the growth and development studies. Several Rongelap people of the exposed group andthe comparison population group whowereliving in Majuro were also examined. The Navy kindly furnished a ship, the LST USS Duval County. The team met at Eniwetok where the ship had put in to onload the 21-ton steel room which had been stored there and also the medical equipment and supplies. The medical team was berthed and fed aboard the ship for the expedition. The ship was beached at Rongelap and Utirik for easy accessibility to the villages. continued examinations wereessential in order to Attitudes of Rongelap People the usualfriendly relations prevailed throughout When the team arrived at Rongelap, the magistrate of the village indicated that there was some confusion and uncertainty in the minds of some of the people as to the necessity and significance of repeated medical examinations. He thoughtit wise to cali a meetingof the village people in the council house so that they could ask questions to help clarify the situation. For the past 5 years during which the annual examinations have been going on there had been no problem in maintaining excellent rapport with the people, and, indeed, the relations of the team members with the Ronge- lapese were always cordial and friendly. It was recognized that there wasslightly increasing re- sistance to blood sampling procedures. Also there was somediscontentthat, because of the high Sr*° content, they were forbidden to eat coconut crabs, which they consider a delicacy (Figure 4). Since the return of the people to Rongelap, copra production had notincreased to the extent that the Trust Territory officials had hoped. Consequently, since copra production is the prime sourceofin- come, there was some concern over the slowness with which the people were getting back on their feet economically. It had becomenecessaryto ex- tend food subsistence beyond the timeoriginally planned. Fishing was not being carried on as actively as it should have been. At the village meeting the main questions cen- tered aroundthe necessity for the continued medical examinationsin view of statements on the part of the medical team in the past that the people were generally in good health. It was difficult to explain to them that, though they appearedto be in good health and to have recovered from the acute effects of radiation, very little was known aboutthe possible late effects of radiation, and detect and treat any untowardeffects, should they arise. The coconut crab problem was brought up again, and the reasons for prohibiting their consumption carefully explained throughthe interpreter. To correct a misconception that several cases of fish poisoning during the past year had been due to eating radioactive fish, it was explained thatfish poisoning had been going on in these islands for years and was not connected with radioactivity. After much discussion, it seemed that the people weresatisfied with answers to the questions, and preparations for the examinations proceeded. Thereafter complete cooperation and the stay on theisland. During the examinations a United Nations team visited Rongelap. A meeting with the people was held in the church (Figure 5), and manyaspects of the Rongelapsituation were discussed. The report of the UN group wasfavorable towardthe special medical assistance being rendered the people. Upon completion of the 1959 survey, a meeting washeld for the people, and they were advised that they were found to be generally in good health with noseriouseffects of their radiation exposure apparent, but that continued examinations would be necessary in order to insure continued good health. They were also advised to try to improve their oral hygiene and observe sanitary rules to controltheflies on the island. Before the team left the island, a party was held for the Rongelapese. The Navy kindly furnished a meal, and small gifts were exchanged as tokens of appreciation of mutal cooperation. Figure 4. Coconut crab (robber crab, Birgus latro), considered a delicacy by the Marshallese. (Photo courtesy American Museum of Natural History, New York, N.Y.)