OS-21-1994 12:17
later.
5162e2%314
BNL-MED, DEPT.
P.Q15
It 49 possible however that the intensely alkaline nature of
fhe caleiun
oxide when dissolved in perspiration might have contributed to the
tial symptoms.
About 2/3rds of the Fongelap group were nauseated during th
and 1/10th vomited ard hed diarrhea.
first two days
One person in the Aflinginae grpup vas nauseated.
No one in the 2ongerik or Ttirik group had gastrointestinal symptoms.
CLINICAL CRSERVATIONS AND LEVROCYTE COUNTS
Between
Aho 33rd and the 43rd post cxposure day 10% of the individuals fron
Rongelap nad an nbsoluto eranulecyte level of 1,000 per cuble millimeter or less,
The lowest count during this veriod was 700 per cubic millimeter.
ring this
jnterval tho advisability ef prophyinctic administration of antibiotics was seriously
considerel.,
However prorhylactic administration of antibiotics was fint instituted
Tor +ha following reasons:
1)
A2) intivédwels vere uber continuous malleal observat!pn sa that
infection if it develoned wadd have been discovered in its eirller MUN TES «
a
)
Premature adainistration of entibsfotics
aight have obgcuread medical
amiications for treatment, ani might also hava led to the developmert
+
a
of drug resis
tant,organismy in individuals with lowered resistance to infection,
3)
There vag no accurate knawladge of the number of gramifocytes required
Yo man to rrevent infection with this type of granulocytoponia.
The observed situation vas not strictly comparable to agranuldeytosis with
mn aplastic marrow as sean following known lethsl doses of radiati
In the latter
instant, sranulocytes fall rapidly vith practically none in the cigenlation and no
evidence of granulocyte regeneration when infection occurs.
In anf present group
of individuals exposed to radiation, most counts reached approximefely 1/4 the normal
value, but the fall to that level was er:idual snd the presence of bmnature granulocytes in the poriphernl blood during the neriod of cranulocytopeniB
of some new granulocyte production,
was indicative
The few individuals that recdived antiblotics
had conditions that would have been treated with antibiotios in tHe absence of any