"There does appear to be a statistical evidence suggestive of slight
impairment of growth and development as measured by a comparison of
height and weight in the control and exposed children.
You cannot
look at these children and pick out any abnormalities.
"IT would like to comment on this rather emphatically, because of the
headlines that I saw a few minutes ago.
There is no gross stunting
of the growth.
[It can only be detected by a careful statistical
anlaysis of the data, by taking measurements of height and weight. 1
(p. 51)
The seven year report repeated the same information as
the earlier
two
year report, adding that studies were not vet completed to determine the ages
of certain children.
The eight vear report dealt extensively with growth
retardation noting several cases where growth was "significantly" retarded.
This report also noted
that
‘It was
interesting that
the fallout had more retarded skeletal ages
(p.
21)
the boys born soon after
than those born more recently.”
The section concluded that the differences "were not statistically
significant and the data available at this time would not support any
conclusion concerning factors related to the retardation of skeletal maturity
in these boys."
(p. 21)
[emphasis added].
more conservative in nature.
The nine and ten year report was
It noted:
"The slight retardation of growth in the male children who were exposed
when (less than) five years of age as compared with unexposed males of
the same age suggests that radiation may be a causal factor although
possible mechanisms are not clear."
Perhaps, due to the not amazing but unsuspected development of thyroid
nodules in the Rongelapese during the tenth examination (1964), a little
attention was given immediately to growth development.
with the eleventh and twelfth examinations
(1965 and
The next report dealing
1966)
however,
considered
this area extensively.
During the 1965 survey, because of the development of thyroid nodules in
many of the exposed people, it was decided to give thyroid hormone to possioly
help induce regression of the nodules and to also stimulate growth in the
bore Tha
142