Rabaul Times, Rabaul, July 25, 1958 JAPANESE SHIP MAY HAVE SEARCHED POR RADIO-ACTIVE FALL OUT AREA A Japenese survey ship which cams into Rabaul on Saturday and reported radlowactive contamination may have "searched for an area of radiceactivity so that it could sail into the fringe of it® according to unofficial spinions in Rabaul this week. The ship, Takujo Maru, reperted contamination by radio-active fall-out from atom tests at Eniwetok Atoll, 1300 alles north-east of New Britain. "We were 600 miles from the centre of the tests, taking a course recommended safe ty the Americans, when wind blew the cloud onto our ship," the ship's master reported, Re said that for 24 hours the ship's radiation count had been 20 higher than the limits of human safety. Teste at Rabaul showed the ship was still slightly radio-active, but not at a dangerous level. The count decreased daily. Doctors blood-tested 51 officers and aen from the ship amd found five suffering from a reduction in the everage number of white corpuscles <= a symptom of radiation exposure. Bat the Regional Medical Officer for New Guinea Islands, Dr. C. Hassler, said he did net believe the men were seriously or permanently affected. Statenents made by the ship's master and observations carried out by Rabeul officials have led to the impression that the ship may Lsve “looked for a radiation cloud,* Technicians were spperently continually ehecking elaborate radiation instruments carried on board, BEST AVAILABLE Copy