Dr. Charlies L. Dunham
~ge=
June 4, 1958
I found that there was a certain feeling among the Rongelap
people that we were doing too many examinations, blood tests, etc.
which they did not feel necessary, particularly since we did not treat
many of them. Dr. Hicking and I got the people together and explained
that we had to carry out all the examinations to be certain they were
healthy and only treated those we found something wrong with. I told
them they should be happy so little treatment was necessary since so
few needed it and most of them were healthy, etce, etc. Perhaps next
trip we should consider giving more treatment or even placebos,
During the above meeting the question came up about eating
coconut and land crabs, I mist confess I didn't know there was any
difference between the two.
When I told them they could not eat the
coconut crabs, they were a little peeved since they had been told by
the weather station people that they could eat them.
It seems they
depend on these crabs for food to a greater extent than I had suspected,
Perhaps we can re-evaluate this problem in the light of the more recent
analyses being made by the University of Washington group, Would sam
ples from Arbar Island to the west be radioactively acceptable? This
problem should be clarified for the people.
I spoke to Dr. Hicking about the health aide situation and
he agrees to try and place one aide on Eniaetok and one on Rongelap.
About 50 people normally live on Eniaetok, some 12 miles distant. I
told him AEC would pay the salary of the extra heaith aide.
Mr. Neas brought up the subject of the $5 a day charge made
by the Navy for hospitalization at Kwajalein, I told him I would ask
you to see if the Navy would waive this charge until the people got back
on their feet economically and after this time only charge the usual
Trust Territory hospitalization fee ($1 a day, I believe.)
I saw the DISTAD representative of Ebeye, Mr. .Umhoefer, and
asked him to see if the usual monthly visit of the practitioner (Dr.
Iaman) from Ebeye could be carried out regularly. Apparently the ac-
tivity associated with the test series has somewhat curtailed the use
of Navy planes for this purpose, but should be rectified at the end of
- the tests. I also asked that Dr. Iaman send me regularly a report of
any serious clinical conditions seen on Rongelap and summaries of cases
admitted to the hospitals, The importance of radio communications between Rongelap and Ebeye and Majuro in regard to emergency medical situations was discussed at Rongelap with the health aide and the radio
operator.
I was most pleased to see Mr. McKenzie, the agriculturist
from Majuro, at Rongelap. He is instituting a vigorous program in
planting of important food plants there. I understand one agriculturist will be present on Rongelap at least half time to implement
the program, This program is of extreme importance in view of our
finding in March a group of children with night blindness probably
resulting from vitamin A deficiency.
90021749