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BEST COPY AVAILABLE
THYROID NODULES AS A LATE EFFECT OF EXPOSURE TO FALLOUT™
R.A. Conard, M.D., W.W. Sutow, M.D., 3.?. Colcock, M.v.,
B.M. Dobyns, M.D., and D.E. Paglia, M.D.
Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory,
Upton,
M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, Houston, Texas
Lahey Clinic, Boston, Massachusetts 62215
Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
.ew York
11973 wr
77025 +b
44109
The Center for the Health Sciences, University of California, Los Arz
California
90024
During the past 5 years thyroid abnormalities have developed ina
Marshallese population who were accidentally exposed to radioactive fallout
in 1954.
The accident occurred when a thermonuclear device was detcnrated
at Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds.
The yield was larger than
expected and since the fireball touched the ground, a large amount of
incinerated coral and debris was mixed with the radioactive cleud. An
unexpected shift in winds occurred high aloft and instead of the ciexd
going in a northerly direction over the open sea, it veered to the est
dropping radioactive fallout on several inhabited islands.
The falicut
exposure of the Marshallese people was different in many respects [rem
the exposure of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the effects of
the atom bomb detonated over Japan. in Japan the injuries were produced
by direct irradiation from gamna rays and neutrons, and from physicai
injuries from blasts and burns.
Psychic trauma, malnourishment, and
disease complicated their radiation injuries. Little or no failout vas
involved. In contrast the radiation exposure of the Marshallese peopie
*Research supported by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.