' -1érenoved surgically from some of the burned areas for microscopic study. These pieces of skin demonstrate the typical findings of radiation injury. Some of the skin burns became infected particularly those on the feet and were treated locally by cleansing and applications of antibiotic ointments. The skin burns healed in most cases with return of normal color and texture of the skin end in some cases scars were left with depigmented areas, aged man. The worst burn occurred on the back of the ear of a niddle It produced a permanent scar with absence of pigment and abnormal blood vessels and a slight horny growth of the overlying skin has developed. The skin has been carefully observed at 6 months, 12 months, 2 years ard 3 yesre after exposure and there is no evidence at the present time of any breakdown in the early burns of the skin, There is no evidence of the development of cancer at this time. In some the depigmented scars are still evident. The individuals have been seen on ‘two occasions by a plastic surgeon, Dr. Bradford Cannon of the Harvard Medical School who feels that no plastic repair is necessary and that the prognosis in general is good, FACTCRS INFLUSIICING SEVERITY OF THE LESIONS Certain lessons were learned from the Marshallese experience, Burns were caused by direct contact of the radioactive material with the skin, The perspiration as common in the tropics, the delay in decontamination and the difficulties in decontamination certaimy favored thedvelopment of the skin b: ° Those individual's who rerained indoors or under trees during the fallout developed less severe skin burns. The children who went wading in the ocean developed fever lesions of the feet and most of the Americans who vere more aware of the dangers of the fallout, took shelter in eluminum buildings amd bathed end changed clothes. Consequently they developed only very mild beta burns. Lastly a single layer of cotton meterial offered almost complete protection as was dezonstrated by the fact that skin burns developed alzvost entirely on the exposed parts of the tbody. The pro=- gnosis of beta skin burns and radiation burns of the skin is excellently described DOE ARCHIVES “Lk