Before the survey at Rongelap, the team visited
Kwajalein and Majurofor several days to carry out
examinations on a number of Rongelap people
who had movedto these Islands.
A Trust Territory ship, the M/V Ran Anim,
transported the team and equipment to Rongelap
on March 4, 1962 (Figure 3). A tent had been set
up on the Island and one of the village houses
rented to serve as living quarters for the team. On
arrival, after greeting the Magistrate and othervillage dignitaries, it was learned that the death of
an aged woman had occurred the previous day,
and that an autopsy was to be permitted on the
body. Establishing living quarters and setting up
laboratory equipment and examination facilities
in addition to carrying out the autopsy occupied
the better part of the first day. Late in the afternoon
the funeral for the deceased took place. The medical
examinations on the people began the following
day.
The examinations were carried out ashore at
Rongelap Village. As in the past the dispensary
was used as a laboratory for the hematological and
other laboratory procedures. The adjacent school
building was used for taking histories and performing physical examinations on the people. The council house next door was used for special examinations of the skin, urine collections and analyses,
and x-ray examinations.
HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
Histories were taken by a Marshallese practi-
tioner and an interpreter, with particular emphasis
on the interval history during the past year. A
special survey was again conducted by the pediatrician to attempt to ascertain more accurately
the birth dates of the Rongelap people, particularly
the children. Complete physical examinations were
carried out including growth and development
studies on the children (anthropometric measurements and x-ray examinations of the left wrist and
hand for bone developmentstudies ) ; special examinations of the skin with color photography of
selected lesions; a special cancer detection survey;
and an ophthalmological survey.
Figure 3. Trust Territory ship Ran Anim at anchor,
Rongelap Lagoon.
ical examination, and certain laboratory tests. The
family history did not yield satisfactory information, since the incidence of familial diseases including cancer was generally unknown by the. people.
The history yielded some information on changes
in weight, history of illness, and, in the case of
women, menstrual, obstetric, and nursing history.
{In the physical examination particular emphasis
was placed on examination of the skin, node-bearing areas, head and neck, chest, breast, abdomen,
and external genitalia. Pelvic examinations were
carried out on all mature females, and vaginal and
cervical smears for Papanicolaou examination were
obtained.* Rectal examinations were carried out
on all persons >40 years of age. This included, in
the case of men, palpation of the prostate gland.
Chest plates were not taken routinely but were
obtained on about 30 adults >40 years of age (and
on certain other cases where indicated)}.** Hematological data were obtained and were available
for evaluation.
In detection of possible leukemia (or preclinical
evidence of incipient leukemia) the lymph nodes
and spleen were carefully examined, and hematological data were taken including routine hemograms, percent basophils in a 4000 white cell count,
and alkaline phosphatase examinations of the white
blood cells on differential smears.
*We wish to thank Dr. Genevieve Bader of Memorial
CANCER DETECTION SURVEY
In the cancer detection survey, procedures included an evaluation of the history, special phys-
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, N.Y.C., for interpretation
of the Papanicolaou smears.
**We are grateful to Dr. Paul Lichtblau of Rockville
Centre, L.IL, N.Y., for interpretation of the chest roentgenograms.