16

None was positive for malignantcells. It was noted

Table 4

that the secretions were scanty in most of the
women, and the smears were consequently some-

what dry. Inflammatory reaction with the presence of blood in the smears was common. Endocervical atypia was noted in a numberofcases.
‘The results ofthese examinations are reportedin
Appendix 6.
Rectal examinations were carried out on all
adults, and proctoscopic examinations whenindicated. Several cases of prostatic enlargement were
noted, but no evidence of malignancy was appar-

ent. 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 inflammatorylesion and not
malignant.

PEDIATRIC EXAMINATIONS
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 moved to
other atolls. The increase in number of nonex-

posed children of exposed parents represents new
babies born since the previous survey. New babies
also increased the total of nonexposed Rongelap
controls, even though a numberof children either
becameold enoughto be transferred to the adult
study or were lost to the study because of migration. The exposed and nonexposed group at
Majuro wereall 6 years of age or older. All nonexposed children of exposed parents were <6
vears old. Of the 88 nonexposed Rongelap children, 38 were <6 years of age.
The incidence of various physical findingsis
summarized in Table 5. Adenopathy wasdefined
for the purposesof this tabulation as the presence
of (a) nodes 0.5 cm orlargerin 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 inguinal areas.
The term “active chronic impetigo” includes several types of superficial skin infections. Many of
these lesions probably represented secondaryinfections of lacerations and abrasions. The incidencesof otitis media and adenopathywererelated to age, both being more commonin younger

children. Clinically active chronic impetigo was
also found moreoften in the younger children;

Children Examined

at

at

at

22
2

2
0

2
2

26
+

19

2?

3

24

67
0

8
13

13
0

388
13

110

25

20

155

Rongelap Majuro Kwajalein Total
Exposed
Exposed in utero
Nonexposed
(exposed parents)
Control
Rongelapseries
Majuroseries
Total

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 amongthe nonexposed Majuro children, whowereall in the older group. As in 1959, the pattern of physical findings seemed unrelated to exposure to radiation.
Growth and Development

During the past several surveys considerableeffort has been expended to establish as firmly as
possible the accuracy of the date ofbirth for each
child. The medical survey records provided reliable written data for children born atter 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 by parents.
2. Dates of birth as recorded occasionally in the
village ledgers used for various purposes.
3. Limited numberof birth certificates on file
at the court house on Majuro.
4. Birth order of children within each family
unit.

5. Ranking of childhood population in termsof
age by parents.
6. Ranking of childhood population in terms of
age by children.
7. Correlation with memorable environmental
events.

Select target paragraph3