15
another case, loss of the outer one-third of the
eyebrow hairs was suggestive of the disease, but
a skin biopsy revealed no acid-fast bacilli.
No cases of retinal scars were observed that
might have resulted from retinal burns possibly
caused by observation of the fireball of the nuclear
explosion that resulted in the fallout accident,
although many people on Rongelap reported see-
ing the fireball and described it as resembling the
“rising sun” in the western sky.
PEDIATRIC EXAMINATIONS
During the 1962 survey, 30 exposed chidren, 71
control children, 37 children born to exposed parents and 25 children born to uncxposed parents
were examined. The size of the pediatric study
population (Rongelap series) during each of the
last 5 surveys (1958 through 1962) is shown in
Tables 5 and 6. The fluctuations from year to year
in the numbers of children scen have resulted from
(a) movement, generally temporary, to other
atolls, (b) graduation from the pediatric to the
adult study, and (c) addition of newborn babies.
Attrition due to unavailability has been minimal
in the exposed group. One child in 1959 and one in
1961 could not be examined, but each of these
children returned to the study the subsequent year.
In the control group, the attrition rate has been
higher, 11.3% for the lust 5 years.
The frequencics of various abnormal findings on
physical examination have been summarized in
Table 7. As in previous years, no consistent relationship was noted between the occurrence of these
abnormalities and exposure to radiation.
Growth and Development Studies
In the analysis of the growth data, previously
described statistical methodology was used." The
children were divided into 4 groups: (a) those
exposed to radiation. including the 4 children in
utero at the me of exposure. (b) those born
before the fallout but not exposed to radiation, (¢c)
those born to exposed parents subsequent to the
fallout. and (d) those born to unexposed parents
subsequent to the fallout,
Height and weight data on children born before
the fatiout showed the expected pattern of pubertal
Table 5
Variations in Composition of Pediatric Population,
1958 through 1962:
Rongelap Group
Numbers of children
1958
1959
39
—
34
I
36
0
30
1
30
0
adult study
—
4
0
5
!
Control group
Total scen
Not available
Transferred to
88
—
75
13
51
25
75
0
71
10
—
3
2
3
0
—
3
3
27
2
—
—
—~
—
4
Exposed group
Total seen
‘Not available
Transferred to
adult study
Not seen
previous year
New subjects
added
1960* 1961
1962
*Limited survey.
Table 6
Variations in Composition of Pediatric Population,
1958 through 1962:
Children Born After Fallout (Rongelap)
Numbers of children
1958
1959
Number seen
13
20
10
24
37
New babies
added
—
7
Q
5
12
—
0
iQ
|
0
—
0)
(0
10
|
7
0
14
25
7
0
8
10
0
0
I
|
()
0
0
l
Exposed parents*
Not available
from previous
year
1[9607*1961
1962
Old subject
not seen
previous year
Unexposed parents:
Number seen
New buhies added
Not available from
previous year
Old subject not scen
previous year
*This category includes only those who were babies
at the time they were added to the study. Those who were
older at the time they were first seen have heen grouped
with the regular control children.
**Limited survey,