4

graph. The data are handled somewhatdifferently

this year: because of certain differences noted in
age and sex groups between the exposed and the

unexposed, in addition to the comparisons of mean
levels for entire groups, comparisons are also made

for the age and sex groups of age 7 to 15. 16 to 40,

and >40 years.

The data are summarized in Tables 12 and 13
and in Figures 34 to 30. In Appendices ! and 2 are

classified according to age andsex, andin thescat-

tergram (Figure 36) showing the larger number of
individual counts belowrather than above the
mean line of the unexposed. A cumulative per-

centage distribution curve of counts combining the
vounger and older males ( Figure 38) shows the
curve for exposed males definitely displaced to the
left of the curve for unexposed males of the same

age groups. Among the females, onlyin the older

presented summaries of the mean blood counts of

group were the neutrophils slightly depressed (see

son populations since exposure in March 195+. In
Appendix 3 are listed the individual blood counts
tor 1961. It should be noted that in 1960 onlythe
exposed group were examined: therefore, the last
complete data on both exposed and unexposed
groups are for 1959. In Appendix +4 the individual
alkaline phosphatase and basophil counts are
presented.

both sexes showedslightly higher neutrophil levels

the exposed population and the various compari-

Leukocytes
The mean leukocvte levels in 1961 were some-

what belowthe 1959 levels in the population at

large, while both exposed groups (the only groups
examined in 1960) showed a slight increase over

the 1960 level. Changing neutrophil and lympho-

cyte mean levels were generally parallel. As will
be brought out. a slight deficit in both neutrophils
and lymphocytes in certain age groups of the more

Figures 35 and 37). In groups aged 15 to 40 vears.

than unexposed people ofthe same age.
Lymphocytes

As with neutrophils. the exposed population at

large showeda slight (6.3%) deficit of lymphocytes
compared with the unexposed population (see

Table 12 and Figure 39). Among the males, onlv

the vounger age group showed slightly lower levels, while the three female groupsall showed lower
levels. This maybe seen in the-histogram (Figure

35), the scattergrams(Figures +0 and +1), and the

cumulative percentage distribution curve| Figure

42),

Eosinophils, Monocytes, and Basophils
These all showed slightly lower levels than in

1959. The levels of monocytes and eosinophilsin

heavily exposed Rongelap people largely accounted for the lower leukocyte levels. The Ailingnae

the exposed group were somewhat lower than in
the unexposed group. As has been noted previous-

various leukocytes as the unexposed group. The
mean level of leukocytes in the exposed Rongelap
people (175 r) was about 6% below that in the unexposed group. The percentage distribution ofthe
various white cell levels in all groups was not very
different from that previously reported. Table 12
and Figure 34 showleukocyte levels.

were common in both groups.

Neutrophils

remained below the unexposed level by about
12°¢. Age distribution scattergramsfor the individual platelet counts in both males and females of
the exposed population showed more counts below
than above the unexposed mean curves(see Figures 44 and +5). This was also borne out by comparison of the cumulative distribution curves of
the exposed and unexposed populations, the former showing a continued displacementto theleft
(Figure 46). The platelet levels showed most depression in the exposed male groups of ages 7 to 15

group (69 r) showed about the samelevels of the

The mean neutrophil count for the exposed

population wasslightly (7.3%) below the mean

count of the unexposed comparison population.
(See Table 12 and Figure 34.) However, examination of the mean counts bv age and sex groups
made it apparent that the deficit was largely accountedfor in the voung (age 7 to 15) and older
males (age >+40 years). This is demonstrated in
the histogram (Figure 35) showing the percentage
differences in the exposed and unexposed groups

ly, eosinophil counts >5 of the total white count
Platelets

The mean levels of platelets in the various age

groups in both exposed and unexposed popula-

tions were about the same as twoyears previously
(see Table 12 and Figure 43). However, the level
in the exposed group as a whole, as in the past.

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