Effects on the Blood Aside from initial acute effects on the blood of the exposed people, causing the number of certain kinds of blood cells to drop dramatically to dangerously low levels, there were found to be other effects which, while not themselves debilitating, were an indication of what are most likely permanent changes made by ionizing radiation. These may or may not be indicators of diseases which could develop in the future, like leukemia. Some of the changes noted in studies of blood from exposed persons included lower white blood cell counts than those of unexposed persons. According to the 1969 report, this "implies a residual radiation effect on the bone marrow.'' In other words, either from both the initial whole body radiation, and/or later internal contamination, by such elements as gr 90 being deposited in the bone, the ability of the marrow to produce these cells has been affected. Other abnormalities and aberrations found in elements of the blood included: "An alteration in the myeloid-erythroid ratio (increased red cell precursors, presence of cells with abnormal chromatin material and double nuclei, and also increased mitosis. Examination of peripheral blood smears revealed increased numbers of atypical lymphocytes in the exposed people and an unexplained increase in these forms in the children of exposed parents. Also, chromosome studies at 10 years post exposure revealed a high incidence of aneuploid cells and 2-hit aberrations in the blood of the exposed group." (p. 47) Of particular interest is the fact that the blood of the children of exposed parents, who were themselves not exposed, lymphocytes. is also showing unusual forms of Two possible reasons for these changes are 1. the irradiation of the parents caused damage in the genetic material of the sex, or germ cells which were then passed on to the children who, of the cells, or 2. in turn, produce mutated forms by virtue of their living in a radioactively-contaminated environment -- even though the levels are alleged to be within the tolerance pore 14