Table 23
MeanLevels of Peripheral Blood Elements of Populations Under Study
Piat. ( x 10°")
WBC (x 10-+)
1965
1966
Rongelap exposed
2742 75*(56)**
—
7.392%1.7 (56)
Rongelap unexposed
Ailingnae exposed
Utirik exposed
342> 95 (16)
—
1965
—
-——
Neut. ( x 107°)
1966
7LQZHLA (16)
—
1965
682271.8(55)
1966
3.69+1.2 (56)
6.2422.3(15)
8.05 + 2.3199)
3.7721.5 (16)
—
3.5741.4(54)
3.301.9(15)
4.452-1.8(98)
Rongelap children of
exposed parent(s)
Rongelap children of
282> 71(124)
—
7.34%2.2( 124)
—
3.86 1.8(125)
—
416130 (48)
—
10.17%2.5 (48)
—
4.4122.0 (48)
—
unexposed parents
3662 96 (69)
_
9912.6 (69)
—
4.52+1.9 (69)
—
Lymph. ( x 10°')
Het. (%)
RBC ( x 10°*)
1965
1966
1965
1966
1965
1966
Rongelap exposed
Ailingnae exposed
Uurik exposed
Rongelap unexposed
2.99+0.8 (56)
2.73+0.8 (16)
—
2.82— 1.0( 124)
2.45+0.8(54)
231209015)
3.00 1.0(.98 3
—
402748 (56)
39.625.0 (16)
—
40.5==5.0( 124)
39 +4.3(48)
39.744.6(15)
41.3227.0(88)
—
427257 (50)
438253 (16)
—
443253(11L)
—
—
__
—
exposed parent(s)
Rongelap children of
unexposed parents
4+.78+1.9 (48)
44141 (44)
—
439-34 (64)
—
Rongeilap children of
—
4.5541.5 (69)
*Standard deviation.
until the organ or tissue shows advanced morbidity.
It is hoped that longitudinal studies of aging
criteria in Rongelap individuals and groups may
be more rewardingas time goes by.
HEMATOLOGICAL STUDIES
Hematological data are summarized in tables
andfigures below, and the raw dataon individuals
are presented in the appendices. The more heavily
exposed Rongelap group whoreceived 175 rads
are designated as ““Rongelap exposed,” the Rongelap people whoreceived a smaller exposure of
69 rads as “Ailingnae exposed,” and the larger unexposed comparison population of Rongelap as
“unexposed.” Because of the small number of
people in the Ailingnae group, their data were not
treated as fully as those for the Rongelap groups,
and are briefly summarized in a separate paragraph, The Utirik data are summarized separately
also. Because of certain differences noted in age
and sex groups between the exposed and the unexposed, in addition to the comparisons of mean
37.143.5 (48)
—
36.4424 (69)
.
**Numberof people in group.
levels for entire groups, comparisons are also made
of age and sex groups. Ages 12 to 15, >15 to 40,
and > 40 years for each sex are compared.
The hematological data are summarized in
Table 23 and in Figures 49 through 65. In Ap-
pendices 8, 9, and 10 are presented summaries of
the mean blood counts of the exposed populations
and of the various comparison populationssince
exposure in March 1954. In Appendices 11 and
12 are listed the individual blood counts for 1965
and 1966. In Appendix 13 basophil counts are
presented. In 1966, hematological studies (ex-
cluding platelets) were done only on the exposed
populations of Rongelap, Ailingnae, and Utirik.
Rongelap Population
Leukocytes. The mean leukocyte levels were
slightly lower at 11 years than at 10 years post
exposure in both exposed and unexposed Rongelap people. At 12 years the exposed (unexposed
not done) showed slightly lower levels than in
1965 (see Appendix 8). There was no appreciable
difference in the exposed and unexposed leukocyte