25
lar disease was probably of lower incidence in the
Marshallese. Therewere two low readings in the
exposed group, one in a 63-year-old woman with
abdominal carcinosis and ascites of ovarian origin
and the other in an 81-vear-old man ( +46) with
marked hwpertensive and arteriosclerotic cardio-
forms of heart disease. One evident case of inactive
rheumatic heart disease occurred in a boy of 14
years ‘ = 7/6) with typical signs of mitral valvular
involvement and moderate cardiac enlargement.
He was symptom-free and his electrocardiogram
was normal.
,
°
vascular disease.
4. Veins.
There was nearly a cota! absence of
periphéral venous disease - thrombophlebitis,
phlebothrombosis, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids -
in both men and women. Only one individual
showed varicose veins in the lower legs, in minimal
degree.
5. Other Cardiac Conditions.
No patients were
observed with luetic, metabolic, or nutritional
Incidence of Individuals With X-Ray Evidence
of Osteoarthritis in Rongelap, by Age and Sex
(Only those rated as 2+ or higher are included)
Persons with 2+ osteoarthritis
No. in
age group
Number
%
Males
28
23
40-49
16
l
50-59
>60
8
3
5
4
106
12
23
17
l
12
3
Total
0- 9
Li
Q
0
l
0
0
4
8
88
13
51
>60
Total
basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids or of retinitis
pigmentosa were seen.
°
The degree of changes in accommodation, vwjsual acuity, arcussenilis, and retinal arteriosclerosis
further discussion in the section on aging.)
Slit-lamp examinations of the lens showed no
opacities in the exposed Marshallese resembling
those that had been noted in the irradiated Japanese.
ARTHRITIS SURVEY
1. Osteoarthritis
The incidence of osteoarthritis, as indicated by
the hand and wrist x-ray survey, is shown, by age
and sex, in Table 17. The small numberof indi-
0
o°7
40
33
21
19
[4
0
1
2
I
9
0
3.0
9.5
5.3
64.3
16
12
73.0
19-4
25
12.9
P1839 79
and congenital diseases was very low. Nocases of
exposed populations. (See Figures 19 to 22 and
Males Plus Females
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
- 50-39
modation levels above the average in the United
States. The absence of glaucoma was also notable.
The incidence of retinal arteriosclerosis, squints,
obvious differences between the exposed and un-
Q
0
Q
2
Females
o- 9
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
>60
scars, and pigmentation in the exposed group. As
have been plotted against age. The plots show no
0- 9
10-19
20-29
36-39
Total
Table 16 shows the major ophthalmological
findings. No major differences were found between the exposed and the unexposed groups except, as has been noted in the past, for a slightly
greater incidence of pterygii, pingueculae, corneal
a whole both groups showed vision and accom-
Table [7
Age, vr
OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS
viduals in the susceptible age groups precludes an
accurate estimation of the prevalence; however,it
does not appear to be grossly different from that
found in the United States white population
studied by Dr. Alice Waterhouse and cited by
Blumberget al.? In accordance with general clini-
cal experience, there was no close correlation be-
tween x-ray findings and clinical symptoms of
arthritis, i.e., subjects with quite advanced osteo-
arthritis as determined by x-ray often had no com-
plaints referable to their joints.