rival in March it was gratifying that most of the
people had put their moneyinto savings accounts.
The Utirik people seemed quite disappointed in
not receiving any monetary compensation for their
fallout exposure. In a lengthy meeting held with
them on arrival of the team, the reason for this -
the lack of radiation effects - was carefully explained, and it is believed they accepted chesituation in good grace, judging by their cooperation in
the examinations and cordiality to the medical
team.
Findings
INTERVAL MEDICAL HISTORY
Table 3 shows the populations examined in
1963 and 1966. Table 4 showsthe location of the
populations under study, and Table 5 showsthe
percent distribution of the Rongelap population
by age and sex
Itnesses
During the past 2 years the Rongelap people
have been generally in good health, and their
nutriuonal status appears to have been satisfactory An epidemic, believed to have been Asiatic
influenza, with acute upper respiratory manifesta-
tions occurred in about half the population in the
spring of 1964. Another influenza-like epidemic of
similar proportions occurred in 1965. An outbreak
of diarrhea, cause unknown, involved a large segment of the population during January and February 1965. About 15 cases of chicken pox occurred in the spring of 1965. n Ebeye Island,
where about 100 Rongelap people live, an out-
break of conjunctivitis occurred during the year,
Figure 5. Rongelapgirl with toys
following annual party, 1966.
Table 3
but this respondedto topical antibiotic treatment.
Four children with varying
degrees
of Pp paralysis
ying
ocs
oo
following a poliomyelitis epedimic in 1963, were
treated and fitted with braces at Majuro. Surgery
was performed on four cataract cases and one fistula in anv. There were 3 deaths in the exposed
;
group and 3 in the unexposed people (see below ).
_
;
Phe most outstanding finding since the previous
report has been the increasing number of cases of
—
Rongelap and Ailingnae exposed - adults
i
te i9
fage ty
Rongelap and Ailingnae exposed - children
(age Ll or 1210 19)
Rongelap unexposed - adults (age >19)
been operated upon, the first 3 in 1964 at the
Naval Hospital in Guam. The last 8 cases were
Children born to exposed parent(s)
age S11
rougnt
Uurtk exposed - children (age 12 to 19)
thyroid nodules. By July of 1966, 11 cases had
brought
he
to the
Meaical R
Meaical
Nesearc
hC
enter al
Br
sok
Dr .0k-
haven National Laboratory for extensive studies
Numbers ofPeople Examined
During the 11- and 12-Year Surveys
Rongelap unexposed - children (age C19)
Ltirik exposed - adults (age > 19)
1965
£966
+8
3
8.5
;
DY
-
#8
.,70
108
-
4
-
35