19
urements were determined in children. Compani-
sons have been made between the numbers exam-
ined each year. Excluding those who wereshifted
into the adult study, the total over-all attrition
rate between 1958 and 1959 was 10%. Of the 18
children not seen in 1958 but examinedin 1959,
14 were babies born in the interval between the
two examinations.
The age distribution of children examinedin
1959 was as follows:
Age, yr
4to9
210
Total
19
15
34
Table 7
30
26
26
82
20
Incidence of Chronic Impetigo (Active)
?
?
?
60
6
9
The occurrence of various medical conditions is
summarized in Table 6. There seemed to be no
concentration of clinical abnormalities in the ex-
posed groups. Since the incidence of manyofthese
conditions could have been related to the ages of
the children at the time of examination, two of the
most frequent findings, active chronic impetigo
and palpable liver over 3 cm in size, were tabulated separatelyfor several different age groups
(Tables 7 and 8). The ages were based on the best
available birth date estimations. A tendency for
these findings to occur more frequently in the
younger children was noted. The incidences, how-
ever, did not appearto be related to exposure to
radiation.
During the physical examinations, the following
congenital anomalies were recorded:
Patent ductusarteriosus (repaired)
1 (Subject +896)
Bifid uvula
i (Subject #2269)
1 (Subject #2265)
In addition, the incidence of congenital hypoplasia of the middle phalanx ofthe fifth finger was
determined from inspection of the roentgenograms
of the left hand. Theincidencein relation to varlous exposure categories was as follows:
Incidence
Exposed, Rongelap
Nonexposed with exposed parents
Nonexposed, Rongelap
2/33
0/4
5/53
Nonexposed, Majuro
0/14
Utirik (low exposure)
<4
Exposed
5/51
4-9
3210
Total
7/19 3/15 10/34
Nonexposed with
exposed parents
Nonexposed, Rongelap
7/20
13/30
Nonexposed, Majuro
7/26
5/26
0/6
0/9
7/20
25,82
0.15
Table 8
Incidence of Palpable Liver (Over 3 cm}
Age, yr
<+
Exposed
Nonexposed with
exposed parents
Nonexposed, Rongelap
Nonexposed, Majuro
1 (Subject +805)
Deformity of the hip
Pectus excavatum
Age, yr
Id
2/20
6/30
4-9
3210
Total
3/19
G/15
5,34
3/26
16
0/26
1/9
2,20
11/82
2/15
Table 9
Pediatric Dispensary Visits During 1959 Survey
Presenting complaint
Cough
Back or limb pain
Skin sores
Otitis
Diarrhea
Anorexia
Headache
Worms
Loss of hearing
Laceration
Abdominalpain
Numberofpatients
—
Nonexposed, Majuro
Uurik
20
st
Nonexposed, Rongelap
BO
Nonexposed with
exposed parents
eee
Exposed
eo
<4
Hypoplasia of the middle phalanx has beenreported as occurring in the normal population in
incidences ranging from 0.5% to 5.2%. The anomaly was found to have considerably greaterfrequency (25%) in Japanese children.** The over-all
incidence in the Marshallese children was 0.77%.
Pediatric dispensary work was carried outpreceding andfollowing the regular examinations. In
all, 36 children were treated. The presenting complaints are shown in Table 9.