. BYharen UNITED STATES ye ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.c. 20545 AUG 5 407FO 6B Mr. Jonn T. Conway Executive Director Joint Cotmittee on Atomic Energy Congress of the United States Dear Mr. Conway: On March 25, 1965, you were advised of the three added Rongelap people with thyroid tumors noted during the 1965 annual medical survey of the Rongelap Islanders who were exposed to fallout from the Bravo Test in 1954. Dr. Robert Conard, leader of the survey team, Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, has advised Dr. C. L. Dunham, Director, AEC's Division of Biology and Medicine, that these Rongelapese (the two males, 12 and 17 years of age, and one woman, 41 years ofage) were. brought to this country for study at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, and during the week of July 5, 1965, were successfully operated on at the Lahey Clinic in Boston. Tl.e-two teen-age boys were found each to have a solitary benign tumor of the thyroid. These nodules were removed surgically. The middle-aged woman was found to have a carcinoma of the thyroid gland with some metastases to local structures. A sub-total thyroidectomy was carried out. In her case, the prognosis is.fair. She will be given 30 millicuries of Iodine-131 in the hope of destroying any persisting thyroid tissue. It is interesting that the dose of radioiodine to the thyroid gland in the case of the woman is estimated at about 160 rads, or approximately one-tenth that to the glands of the youths. These three Rongelap natives have now been returned to their Island in satisfactory condition. They were accompanied in their travel and treatment by Dr. John Iaman, native medical practitioner, Trust Territory. We shall keep you informed of any new developments. US DOE ARCHIVES ATOMIC ENERGY U.S. 326 RG ____sCOMMIss1oN Collection F.C.Senberg Box 57 Folder $-/-Connespenklence_ To the SCH-SEpT1Tee Sincerely yours, s signed 7 Oriana! fgavenaah Whessacant General Manager for Research and Development 7