34
~” Table 14
Serum Iron Levels (With Hematocrit)
Subject No.
2
3
6
13
22
30
34
65
70
83
Hematocrit
Serum iron, ug
36
122
37
36
34
30
32
108
78
83
139
104
34
104
37
26
35
100
69
96
86
843
860
34
36
37
83
135
91
865
912
929
35
31
37
96
131
96
>
69 and 78 (both with low hematocrits) were subnormal.
Glucosuria
Routine urine analysis carried out on 87 indi-
viduals showed positive sugar reactions in 8 persons. one exposed (No. 66, age 36) and 7 unex-
posed (No. 853. age 56; No. 893. age 40; No. 916,
age 39; No. 920, age 29: No. 956, age 53; No. 961,
age 68; and No. 991, age 53). Unfortunately. blood
sugar determinations were not possible. As noted
before, the incidence of diabetes in the Marshallese
appears to be higher than in the United States
population. These cases were of the chronic type.
with no acute manifestations. In 1959, as reported
previously, however, an unexposed woman died of
uterine infection complicating diabetes.
Protein Bound lodine;
Serum Phosphorus and Calcium
These levels were determined in 6 children, 4 of
whom showed evidence of retarded growth and
development(Nos. 2, 3, 6, and 65; see Table 10).
The PBI values found varied from 8.0 to 12.0
7/100 mi. Since particular care had been taken
and specially cleaned glassware used, theslightly
high values found appeared to be valid and substantiated the earlier findings ofslightly increased
levels, particularly since the samples were analysed
at a different laboratory than previously. No ex-
planation is apparentfor this finding. The calcium
levels were a little on the high side of normal and
the phosphoruslevels, normal. Thus there was no
indication that the impairmentin growth and
developmentnoted in these children wasrelated
to these findings.
STUDIES OF GENETICALLY INHERITED TRAITS
Gm Phenotypes
These determinations were run on sera that had
been obtained in 1959. Nofurther studies of genetically inherited traits were carried out during the
1961 survey. The results on Gm phenotypes on
each individual are presented in Appendix 5. The
Micronesians were found to be 100% Gm'‘*"' and
nearly !00% Gm'*-’. There was a complete absence of Gm* and a high frequency of Gm-like .
(Gm‘). Table 15 showsthe frequencies in percent
of Gm factors in the Marshallese (Micronesians)
and various other populations.
The following is taken from a summaryofthe
paper by Steinberg et al.”
“Whites have a relatively low frequency of Gm‘,
high frequency of Gm* and Gm’, and have no
Gm-like. The African and Micronesian populations have a high frequency of Gm*, Gm". and
Gm.-like, and have no Gm*. North American
Indians have a high frequency of Gm* and Gm*
(higher than whites), a low frequency of Gm", and
have no Gm-like. Eskimos have a similar pattern,
but mayhave a lower frequency of Gm‘.
“The genetic aspects of the Gm factors are discussed. Whites appear to havealleles Gm*, Gm**,
and Gm’. It is tentatively suggested that among
colored populations. alleles Gm**, Gm?*, and Gm?"*
may occur, where c represents Gm-like.”
Estimation of Internal Body Burden
of Radionuclides
BACKGROUND
For large scale surveys, such as the Marshallese
surveys, measurement with whole-body gamma
counters (both liquid scintillation detectors and
. crystal detectors) has proved to be the mostsatisfactory technique. Early evaluation of the body
burdens of the people of Rongelap was carried out
by radiochemical urinalysis, which is time con-