oe 1 a TK ~ a later, It 4s possible however that the intensely alkaline nature of the calcium oxide when dissolved in perspiration might have contributed to the initial symptoms. About 2/3rds of the Rongelep group were nauseated during the first two days and 1/10th vomited and had dfarrhea. One person in the Aflinginae group was nauseated. No one in the Rongerik or Utirik group had gastrointestinal symptons. CLINICAL CRSERVATIONS £°D LevZOcyThé COUNTS Between the 23rd and the 43rd post exposure day 10% of the individuals from Rongelep had an absolute granulocyte level of 1,000 per cubic millimeter or less, The lowest count during this period was 70C per cubic millineter. During this interval the advisability of prophylactic adninicstration of antibiotics was seriously considered. However srophylactic administration of antibiotics was not instituted Tor the following reasons: 1) AL tniividuels were under continuous medical observation so that infection if it developed would have been discovered in its earlier stages. 2) Frenature adininistration of antibiotics might have obscured medical indications for treatment, end might also have led to the developrient of drug resistant organisms in individuals with lowered resistance to infection. 3) There was no accurate kmnowladze of the mmber of granulocytes required vy man to prevent infection with this type of granulocytopenia. The observed situation was not strictly comparable to egranwlocytosis with on aplastic marrow as seen following known lethal doses of radiation, In the latter instant, cranulocytes fall rapidly with practically none in the circuletion and no evidence of cremiocyte regeneration when infection occurs. In the present group of individuals exsoced to radiation, tost counts reached approximately 1/4 the normal v2lus, but the 7a11 to thst level was =ori.dual snd the presence of imanture gramilo- cytes in the peripheral blood curing the neriod of cranulceytcrenia was indicative of sone new sranwiocste production. Tre Th few individuals that received antibiotics lad conditions that would have been treated with antibiotics in the atsence of any [DOE ARCHIVES Uf.