16
None waspositive for malignantcells. It was noted
Table 4
that the secretions were scanty in most of the
Majuro were all 6 years of age or older. All nonexposed children of exposed parents were <6
years old, Of the 88 nonexposed Rongelap children. 38 were <6 years of age.
The incidence of various physical findingsis
summarized in Table 5. Adenopathywas defined
for the purposes of this tabulation as the presence
of (a) nodes 0.5 cm or larger in all areas (cervical,
axillary, and inguinal), or (b) nodes 1.0 cm or
larger in the axillary regions, or (c) nodes 2.0 cm
or larger in either the cervical or inguinalareas.
The term “active chronic tmpetigo” includesseveral types of superficial skin infections. Manyof
these lesions probably represented secondaryinfections of lacerations and abrasions. The incidencesof otitis media and adenopathywererelated to age, both being more common in younger
children. Clinically active chronic impetigo was
also found more often in the vounger children;
2
3
24
67
0
8
13
13
0)
88
13
110
25
20
155
however,its incidence was higher in the exposed
children (although the group wasolder) than in
nonexposed Rongelap children of comparable
ages. Its incidence was also higher among the nonexposed Majuro children, who wereall in the older group. As in 1959, the pattern of physicalfindings seemed unrelated to exposureto radiation.
Growth and Development
During the past several surveys considerable effort has been expended to establish as firmlyas
possible the accuracyof the date of birth for each
child. The medical surveyrecords providedreliable written data for children born after March
1954 and for some born immediately before the
fallout, For the other children, however, the task
of determining birth dates proved to be difficult,
frustrating, and unsatisfactory. The reconstruction
of the birth chronology was based on an intensive
study and evaluation of very frequently contradictory information derived from the following
sources:
1. Dates of birth as reported byparents.
2. Dates of birth as recorded occasionallyin the
village ledgers used for various purposes.
3. Limited number ofbirth certificates on file
at the court house on Majuro.
4, Birth order of children within each family
unit.
. Ranking of childhood population in terms of
age byparents.
6. Ranking of childhood population in terms of
age by children.
. Correlation with memorable environmental
events.
eer
19
weet
26
4
—
2
2
Seapine Tangs “antigen eenee A ee ree
tion. The exposed and nonexposed group at
Total
2
0
einaelpiieem—e imme
During the 1961 survey, 155 children were examined (Table 4). All exposed subjects in the
pediatric age group (<20 years) were seen except
for two (No. 67 and No. 76) who had movedto
other atolls. Fhe increase in number of nonexposed children of exposed parents represents new
babies born since the previous survey. Newbabies
also increased the total of nonexposed Rongelap
controls, even though a numberof children either
became old enoughto be transferred to the adult
study or were lost to the study because of migra-
Control
Rongelap series
Majuroseries
22
2
fone 1 ean
PEDIATRIC EXAMINATIONS
Exposed
Exposed ii utere
Nonexposed
(exposed parents)
Knees se, ~
Rectal examinations were carried out on all
adults, and proctoscopic examinations when indicated. Several cases of prostatic enlargement were
noted, but no evidence of malignancy was apparent. An ulcerating lesion was noted in a 66-yearold female in the exposed group (No. 30) in the
upper rectum, Scrapings from this area indicated
that it was an inflammatory lesion and not
malignant.
at
at
at
Rongelap Majuro Kwajalein Total
qr
Appendix 6.
Children Examined
~~!
women, and the smears were consequently somewhat dry. Inflammatoryreaction with the presence of blood in the smears was common. Endocervical atypia was noted in a numberofcases.
Theresults of these examinationsare reported in