Late Effects of Radioactive Iodine in Fallout
Combined Clinical Staff Conference at the
National Institutes of Health
Moderator: Jacos Rosains, M.D., Bethesda, Maryland. Discussants:
JosepH E. Ratt, M.D., PH.D., Bethesda, Maryland, and
Rosert A, CONARD, M.D., Upton, New York
Dr. Robert A. Conard of the Brookhaven
Dr. Conard will describe the findings as
they have developed over the ensuing 12
years. He was a memberof the original expedition dispatched by the Atomic Energy
Commission and the U. S. Navy and thus
can give us a firsthand report of theinitial
radiation effects. The major emphasis of
this Conference, however, will be on the
late effects that have become evident only
in the last several years. These observations
highlight a subject that is currently of considerable theoretical and practical importance—the effects of radiation on the thyroid gland.
The Conference will be opened by Dr.
Joseph E. Rall, Director of Intramural Re-
ers, both exposed and unexposed, have been
Metabolic Diseases, who has participated
rather unusual sort of fallout. In addition
to body surface irradiation that led to skin
burns and general body irradiation from
the surroundings that led to acute radiation
sickness, contamination of food and drink
with radioactive isotopes of iodine pro-
duced pathological alterations of the thyroid
gland. Largely through the perseverance of
National Laboratory, the Marshall Island-
the subjects of thorough, repetitive examinations by teams of observers sent by the
Atomic Energy Commission.
Received March 27, 1967; accepted for publica-
tion March 31, 1967.
This is an edited transcription of a combined
search, National Institute of Arthritis and
In several of the previous expeditions to
the Marshall Islands and who just returned.
with Dr. Conard a few weeks ago from the
latest visit. Dr. Rall will discuss the general a
problem of radioactive iodine in fallout f
from nuclear explosions.
clinical staff conference at the Clinical Center, Be-
RapioactTive Iodine IN FALLOUT eae
Nuctear Expiosions
4
thesda, Md., by the National Institute of Arthritis
and
Metabolic
Discases,
National
Institutes
of
Health, Public Health Service, U. 5. Department of
Health, Education, and Welfare.
Requests for reprints should be addressed to
Jacob Robbins, M.D., Chief, Clinical Endocrinology
Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Meta-
bolic Diseases, Bldg. 10, Rm. 8-N-315, National In-
stitutes of Heaith, Bethesda, Md. 20014.
Dr. JoserH E. Rati: The heat gene
by a moderate-sized fission explosion
erally results in a temperature of the
of 10 million K. The complexity of .
problemsassociated with fallout generated
1214
JUL Zé ho
wer
R, JAcoB Ropsins: During the nuclear
D explosion testing in the Pacific Islands
in 1954, a combination of circumstances led
to the accidental exposure of a group of
Marshall Islanders, as well as some U. S.
Navy personnel and the crew of a Japanese
fishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon, to a