AOE 2F A UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Washington, D. C. 20545 October 26, 1965 Mr. John T. Conway Executive Director Joint Committee on Atomic Energy Congress of the United States BEST COPY AVAILABLE Dear Mr. Conway: Since our note to you on August 5, 1965, a copy of which is enclosed, Dr. Robert Conard of the Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Dr. J. E. Rall, a consultant thyroid specialist of the National Institutes of Health, visited the Marshall [slands to check on possible further development of thyroid abnormalities in the Rongelapese accidentally exposed to fallout on March 1, 1954. During the examination in August 1965, nodules were found in three additional adolescents and in two adults. Further the contours of the thyroids of two more adolescents, two young adults, and one man approaching middle age were sufficiently different from normal to cause Drs. Conard and Rail to describe them as questionable. To summarize, there cre now eleven of eighty-two Marshallese with definire abnormalities of the thyroid tissues; five more are considered ques- tionably abnormal. The non-exposed control population continues to be free of nodular thyroid disease. Dr. Conard and his group will return to Rongelap in February 1966. Meanwhile, therapy with synthetic thyroid hormone has been instituted in am effort to contrai further module formation. The local practitioner is masntaining surveillance of the thyroids of this exposed group. Sincerely yours, /s/ Enclosure: Ltr, English to Conway dtd 8/5/65 SJCAE S G. English Assistant General Manager for Research and Development (9