7
COMPARISON POPULATIONS
During the first 2 years, two separate groups of
Marshallese people were used for comparison,
each of comparable size to the exposed Rongelap
group and matched for age and sex. However,this
population was found to be unstable, with a large
attrition rate over the 2 years, which made it un-
satisfactory. At the time of the 3-year survey,it
was found that during the preceding 12 months
the Rongelap population at Majuro Atoll had
doubled because of the influx of relatives who had
come back from other islands to live with them.
These people had been away from Rongelap Atoll
at the time of the accidental exposure. This group
matched reasonably well for age and sex and was
of comparable size. Since the return of the people
to Rongelap, however, this group has about doubled
in size.
Since the people are of the same stock genetically, they are uniquely appropriate to serve as a
comparison population and have, therefore, been
used since 1957,
1962 Survey —
Organization and Procedures
The medical team consisted of 5 medical specialists from the U.S., 2 Marshallese practitioners from
the Trust Territory, and 8 technicians, 4 from the
U.S. and 4 from the Trust Territory (Figure 2).
The medical equipment had been sent out to the
Islands prior to the team’s arrival, and preliminary
preparations had been made for logistic support
of the operation with officials of the Navy Pacific
Missile Range Group and the Trust Territory of
the Pacific Islands.
Figure 2. Medical team. Left to right, front row: E. Adamik, L. Meyer, W. Moloney, R. Conard,
A. Lowrey, A. Hicking, D. Clareus; standing: K. Mizutoni. W. Scott, I. Jones, S. Shoniber, E. Riklon.
K. Kittien, A. Obten. (W. W. Sutow is not in the picture.)