"The estimated whole-body gamma dose to natives evacuated from the island
of Utirik following the March 1, 1954, detonation at the Pacific Proving Ground
was about 15 roentgens for a period of about 3 days, but no beta burns appeared.
It is fair to assume here that direct contamination took place due to their
Gamma
mode of living, including housing that was quite open to air currents.
dose rate readings were taken over the bodies of the natives at about H+78 hours
both on the beach and after boarding the ship.
On the beach the personnel
readings averaged about 20 mr. per hour gamma (but this probably included some
contribution from the ground contamination), and after wading through the
surf and boarding the ship the levels averaged 7 mr. per hour gamma.
"The 18 natives on Sifo Island, Ailinginae Atoll, received an estimated
whole-body gamma dose of 75 roentgens in about 2 1/4 days, Of these, 14
later experienced slight beta burns, 2, moderate burns, and none showed epilation.
"In the case of the Rongelap natives, the estimated whole-body dose was
about 170 roentgens in about 2 days. All 64 natives later experienced beta
burns to some degree from slight to severe, and over half of the natives showed
epilation from slight to severe.
"The 16 natives from Rongelap evacuated directly by air to Kwajalein had
personnel gamma dose-rate levels generally 80 to 100 mr. per hour although 1
was as high as 240 mr. per hour and 1 as low as 10 mr. per hour (at H+ about
55 hours}. The remaining 48 natives evacuated by ship were reported to have
personnel readings that "averaged" 60 mr. per hour before decontamination.
The picture is further confused because some of the natives had bathed and some
had not before the arrival of the evacuation team.
“Most of the 28 United States service personnel stationed on Eniwetok
Island, Rongerik Atoll, received about 40 to 50 roentgens, based on film badge
readings.
Three members of the group who were located for part of the time
in another section of the island were estimated to have received somewhat
Seventeen of the twenty-eight personnel showed only slight,
higher doses.
It should be
superficial lesions with one questionable case of epilation.
pointed out that the personnel were in metal buildings during some of the
This
fallout time and for most of the time thereafter until evacuation.
A
reduced the direct contamination as well as the whole-body gamma dose.
film badge hanging on the center pole of a tent at one end of the island
Calculations based on dose-rate readings at another part
read 98 roentgens.
of the island indicated somewhat lower doses, if personnel had remained in
the open for the period of time from fallout (about H+7.5 hours) to evacuation
Upon arrival at Kwajalein 1 personnel gamma dose rate
{at about H+34 hours).
reading was as high as 250 mr, per hour at about H+35 hours.
"The above data do suggest that there may be possible a rough bracketing
of gamma-beta doses versus beta burns,
On the one hand, the natives from
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