phatase studies, and basophil counts (4000 cells).
Blood was obtained for hemoglobin classification.
Sera were obtained for protein determinations
by proteinometer and coppersulfate techniques;
A-G ratios and electrophoretic studies in 37 people; and cholesterol and creatinine determinations.
Fight irradiated and nine unirradiated people
were used in a study of immunological response
to tetanus toxoid. The primary stimulus of tetanus
toxoid had been given 24 months previously. Sera
were obtained just prior to the second injection of
toxoid and then six days later. Subsequently,
tetanus toxin-antitoxin titrations of the sera were
obtained for the two groups in mice by the methods previously described.°
Routine urine analyses were carried out on everyone.
Radtochemicai analysts. Pooled urines were obtained, plus a few sufficiently large samples from
individuals, for radiochemical analyses from both
exposed and unexposed groups. Analyses for Cs'*"
and Sr®° were carried out at the Walter Reed
Army Institute of Research.
Whole-body gamma-ray spectroscopy. Four exposed
Rongelap people, two Utirik people, and a com-
parison Marshallese male accompanied the team
to the United States. Whole-body gammaspec-
troscopy for determining body burdens of gamma
emitters was carried out on them at the human
radiation detector at Argonne National Laboratory. The counts were made by placing theindividuals in a room with 8-in.-thick steel wails and
by the use of an 8-in. crystal and 256-channel
analyzer.’
RESULTS*
interval History
During the past year the general health of the
people has been satisfactory according to Marshallese standards with no obvious change from
last year. No contagious diseases appeared since
the previous report except for a minor epidemic
of upper respiratory infections and an undiag-
nosed epidemic of acute gastroenteritis principally
affecting the children. The lacter epidemic was
self-limited to two to three days. There were no
hospitalizations for majorillnesses or injuries.
*Uniess otherwise stated, the findings are those on the Rongelap people.
There had been one death amongthe exposed
population and twoinfant deaths.* The death
was that of a 46-year-old man whodied of hypertensive heart disease. Details of this case were pre-
sented in the two-year survey report.’ Oneinfant
death was the stillbirth of a babyof irradiated
parents after a fall of the mother. The second infant death (motheronly in the irradiated group)
occurred after birth, apparently of a cord infection. Among the unirradiated Rongelap people
there had been two miscarriages. Two women
were pregnantin the irradiated group and fourin
the unirradiated group.
During the past year, in the exposed group
several of the older people became morefeeble but
had no serious complaints. The village pastor was
too weak to conductservices and complained of
headaches, possibly associated with cataractremoval the previous year. A 78-year-old man with
partial hemiplegia from a former cerebral accidentstill needed a cane. The oldest inhabitant, a
woman said to be over 100 years old, though
feeble, was quite active for her age. A 12-year-old
boy with rheumaticheart disease showed nofurther signs of decompensation but was unable to
keep up with other children in their games. A 25year-old man with leprosy showed some evidence
of slight healing of the indolent ulcers present on
his hands andfeet. He did not appear as mentally
depressed as last year, presumably because of a
more tolerant attitude on the part of his fellow
people. A 78-year-old man with diabetes* has his
disease controlled by diet. He was most gratified
that his blindness had been partially corrected by
surgery and he was able to get around alone.
The people were remarkably free from psycho-
somatic complaints. Complaints could usually be
traced to a reasonable organic cause. Many com-
plained of abdominal pain which appearedto be
secondary to attacks of acute gastroenteritis. Such
attacks are not unusual, since there are nofacilities for preservation of food and the climateis
conducive to bacterial growth. Someof the irradiated group complained that their hair had
been falling out excessively; however, this was not
substantiated on physical examination and quite
*Since this survey, a death has occurred in a 78-vear-old Rongelap man in the exposed group. He was a diabetic of long
standing and died from what was diagnosed as coronary heart
disease.