On numa eee
a ec eta ital late
16
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
Adult Examinations
The general health and nutritional status of the
people of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls were satisfactory and about the samein the exposed as in
the unexposed populations, with the exception of
thyroid abnormalities in the exposed Rongelap
population, which will be treated separately below
because of the importanceof this development. As
noted in previous surveys, the variety and distribution of physical abnormalities (with the excep-
tion of thyroid nodules) did not appear to besig-
nificantly different in the exposed and unexposed
populations. The varying incidence from yearto
year of such findings as cervicitis, prostatic hypertrophy, and arteriosclerosis probably to some extent reflects differences in clinical criteria ofjudgment amongthe examiners. There was a marked
tendency for extensive dental caries in young
adults. Special ophthalmological and slit-lamp observations for lens opacities were not carried out
during the past 2 years. Physical abnormalities in
the adults are listed in Table 10.
Figure 7. Part of a physical exaprfnation.
I-LO2%0 GS
Table 10
Physical Findings in Rongelap and Utirik Adults, 1963-1966
Rongelap exposed
(48 examined)
Subject Nos.
%
Subject Nos.
Anemia, anemic tendency*
12, 22,55,64,
70
11.0
Arteriosclerosis, peripheral, mild
58, 59, 78, 79,
82
11.0
1,11, 16, 41,
60, 68
13.0
826, 829, 841, 843,
860, 865, 947,
964
856, 884,910,941,
948, 957, 961,
964, 970, 991
853, 859, 860, 878,
899, 908, 929,
947
916
f
Arteriosclerosis, peripheral, moderate
to severe
Asthma
(fi Auricular fibrillation with myocardial
<>
damage
exp Bradycardia
co Cardiac enlargement**
£
Rongelap unexposed
(81 examined)
,
Cervical erosion
Cervical lacerations
Congenital defects .
Dislocation of hip
Prominent head of ulna
Bilateral shortening of 5th finger
Polydactvlism
Disiocated wrist
Flexion deformity, fingers
Cyst, ovarian
Cystocele
80
27
1, 60, 76, 80
63, 74
+9
41.
14, 28
1,41, 75:78
39
1. 18,71. 74
2.1
To
99
12.4
99
1.2
Utink exposed
(71 examined)
Subject Nos.
2128, 2246
2.8
\
2146, 2148, 2194,
2244
5.6
2105, 2180, 2175,
2191, 2198,
2214
8.5
2162
2166
14
1.4
2139, 2161
2.3
2.f
8.3
4.3
2.1
858, 859, 917, 942,
6.2
947
829
12
4.3
833, 858, 882, 915
4.9
8.3
832, 836, 910, 914
938
1.2
2.4
82b, 894
832
2.5
1.2
2
8.3
835
1.2
*RBC: F <3.9 million; M <(4.3 million. Hemoglobin: F < 11.0 g: M <13.0 g. Hematocrit: F 33%: M <38.
**By x-ray and/or physical examinations.
%