state of mind.

In terms of the irradiation of the Marshallese,

has been especially true with two groups of people:

this

the Utirikese,

and those Rongelapese and Utirikese who are used as control,

or com-

parison groups,
This fact is illustrated by the question posed during the public
meeting at Utirik.

The question was,

people of Rongelap?"

"How do we compare with the

One would imagine that after nearly two decades,

these people would have some understanding of their exposure and
how it differed from their neighbors,

case.

Apparently,

this is not the

This uncertainty despite the annual reassurances of the team

that the people are in good health
on for thyroid nodules)
of the islands,

(except for those who are operated

has resulted in mixed feelings in the people

These general feelings of insecurity can be roughly

grouped into three catagories:
1.

Rongelapese exposed,

of their exposure,

Perhaps because of the visible effects

these people seem to have the best understanding

in certain areas of their situation,

It was this group of people

who generally expressed a desire for additional medical attention
ranging from having Dr.

Knudsen stationed on the island to having

more frequent medical examinations.

However, these people still

need to have explained to them in their language at their level of
understanding the circumstances of their exposure and its past and
possible effects.

This is clearly shown by a passage in the seven

year report which notes that the health aide "admitted that some of

the people at times had eaten coconut crabs in spite of the fact they

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