$5
mother was diagnosed as having congenital heart
disease and died several monthsafter birth. The

suggestive evidence of increased miscarriages and

stillbirths in the exposed women during the first
few years after exposure might be related to irradiation of the germ plasm. The finding that male
children of exposed parents were shorter in stature
than children of the same age of unexposed parents may have some genetic significance, but further studies would be necessaryto substantiate
such a conclusion.
Hematological studies showed that certain

peripheral blood elements in the more heavilyexposed Rongelap group continued to show slightlv
lower levels than in the unexposed comparison

population, suggesting a persistent irradiationeffect on hemopoietic function. Examination of the
data by age and sex groups showed that neutro-

phil and platelet levels among the exposed were

consistently below the unexposed levels, and that

exposed males aged 7 to 13 vears and exposed
persons, both males and females, aged >>40 showed
the most difference from their controls. The exposed males and females of ages 15 to 40 showed
less difference, with even higherlevels of someelements than the unexposed groups of the same

ages. The platelet levels. however, were consistently

lower in all age groups in both sexes. [t was noted

also that male children of exposed parents had
somewhat lower levels of neutrophils, ivmpho-

cytes, and platelets than children of unexposed
parents.
The Rongelap population as a whole continued

to showslightly lower ervthropoietic function than
found generally in Americans, the explanation for

which is not clear. Though iron deficiency does

not appear to be a problem in view of generally

normal serum iron levels, some other type of
nutritional deficiency maybe responsible. The
high incidence of eosinophilia may be partly

related to chronic fungusinfection of the skin and
intestinal parasitism, but other causes, not 1m-

mediately obvious, may be involved.

The “portable” whole-body counter was used to

obtain the gammaspectra of 110 Marshallese, half
of whom had been exposedto the fallout in 1954.
No significant difference in body burdensofthe
gamma-emitting radioisotopes was observed between the Marshallese exposed to fallout in 1954
and those of the comparison population Irving in
the same environment for the past + years.

Thelevels of internal contamination per unit
weight appeared to be about the samefor juveniles
as for adults. male and female. Wide variations in
levels of contamination in anygroup were found.

apparently due to differences in diet and metabo-

lism. Phe mean Cs‘ '* body burden in adult males

was 14.7 myC. kg, which is not significantlydif-

ferent trom the mean value ofa similar group ob-

tained 2 vears ago; it was 300 times that ofthe

medical team, who were measured at the same
time tor comparison. The Zn”level in adult males

(1.51 meC, kg) dropped to 17°r of the mean value
measured 2 vears ago. With a larger detector and
a longer counting time than previously emploved.
it was possible to identify and quantify Cofor the
first time in these people: the mean level of Co"”

was about 11": of the Zn”’ level. A small amount
of residual activity was sull present after the sub-

traction of K°’ and the above radionuclides from
the total spectrum. The mean level of urinary

excretion of Sr“? was 7.2 wuC, lor 14% higher than

measured in the 1959 medical survey.

Though the acute effects of radiation exposure

in the Marshallese have largelv subsided, it ts pos-

sible that certain late or delayed effects mayoccur.
Some late effects have already been observed in
the Japanese, such as an increased incidence of
leukemia and possibly other malignancies and also
development of cataracts. Still other late effects
have been observed in irradiated animals. It is un-

likely that such abnormalities will develop in the
relatively small Rongelap population and, should

thev develop, the incidence should be quite low.
Nevertheless, it is extremely important that further surveys be conducted to detect subtle changes
associated with the development of such abnor-

malities sothat they can be documented and
therapeutic procedures tnstituted whenever possible. The examinations showsome findings which

persist in the exposed people, and these need to be

carefully followed. Phese include incomplete recovery of certain blood elements to levels found

in the unexposed people, retardation of growth

and development in some of the irradiated children, and pigmented changesat thesites of radiation burns of the skin.
Recognizing the importance of these surveys, the

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and the U.S.
Atomic Energy Commission have agreed that annual
medical survevs of the Marshallese people exposed
to fallout in 1954 should continue indefinitely.

Select target paragraph3