23
Laboratory Examinations
older (age >40) groups than in the middle (age 15
to 40) group. This is demonstrated in the histo-
gram (Figure 30) and in the scattergrams (Fig-
HEMATOLOGICAL
Summary tables of hematological data are presented in the tables and graphs in the text, and raw
data on the individuals are presented in the appendices. The more heavily exposed Rongelap group
who received 175 r are designated as “Rongelap
exposed,” the Rongelap people who received a
smaller exposure of 69 r 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 nottreated as fully as those for the larger
groups, and are briefly summarized in a separate
paragraph. Because of certain differences noted in
age and sex groups between the exposed and the
unexposed, in addition to the comparisons of mean
levels for entire groups, comparisons are also made
of age and sex groups. Ages 8 to 15, 16 to 40, and
> 40 yr for each sex are compared.
The hematological data are summarized in
Tables 10 and 11 and in Figures 18 through 37. In
Appendices 1 and 2 are presented summaries of
the mean blood counts of the exposed population
and of the various comparison populations since
exposure in March 1954. In Appendix 3 arelisted
the individual blood counts for 1962. In Appendix
4, the individual alkaline phosphatase and basophil counts are presented.
Leukocytes
The leukocyte levels in both exposed and unex-
posed groups were slightly lower than last year
(see Table 10 and Figure 18). The mean leuko-
cyte level in the exposed group wasslightly (12% )
below thatin the unexposedgroup.This waslargely
a reflection of deficits in the neutrophil and lymphocyte levels.
Neutrophils
The mean neutrophil level in the Rongelap
exposed group was 13.6% below that in the unexposed group (see Table 10 and Figure 18). The
levels were lower in the younger (age 8 to 15) and
ures 19 and 20), the latter showing more than half
the individual counts below the mean line of the
unexposed. An accumulative percentage distribution curve (Figure 21) also shows the lower counts
(displacement of the curve to the left) in the exposed group. These findings conform generally
with previous data except that the younger females
tend to show more depression.
Lymphocytes
The mean absolute lymphocyte level in the exposed is 24% below that of the unexposed, which
indicates a deficit greater than the mean neutrophil
deficit (see Table 10 and Figure 22). The lymphocyte levels appear to be more depressed this year.
The histogram (Figure 30) shows that the deficit
in lymphocytes seemsto be distributed fairly evenly
in the age and sex groups, except that (as noted
with neutrophils) a somewhat larger deficit ap-
pears among the younger females. The scattergrams (Figures 23 and 24) and the accumulative
distribution curve (Figure 25) also confirm these
observations.
Eosinophils, Monocytes, and Basophils
These all showed nearly the same meanlevels
in both groups. The general persistence of eosinophilia in both groups was apparent, as in past surveys.
Platelets
Mean platelet counts in both exposed and unexposed groups were higher this year than previ-
ously (Figure 26). The male counts this year aver-
aged about the same as the female; previously the
female counts had been higher. As noted consist-
ently in the past, mean counts in both males and
females in the exposed group wereslightly below
the corresponding unexposed levels (males by
5.7% , females by 10% ). Also as previously noted,
the younger and older groups showed the greater
deficit (see histogram, Figure 30). Scattergrams
(Figures 27 and 28) show that the majority of