250
RADIOACTIVITY IN MAN
fallout which may occur exposes human beings to the following
hazards: (1) the gamma radiation is most penetrating, resulting
in whole body exposure which maybesufficient to result in acute
radiation syndromes; (2) the deposit of fallout on the exposed
skin may produce beta radiation burns; (3) the ingestion and in-
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Figure 1. Map of Marshall Ishinds showing area of 1954 fallout.
halation of the material may result tn accumulation of radionuclides internally.
We have learned much about fallout effects on human beings
from our studies of the people of Rongelap Atoll in the Marshall
Islands who were accidentally exposed to an acute fallout situation
in 1954 (see Figure 1). The people were evacuated to another
island 2 days after the accident. Annual medical surveys of these
people have been carried out. the last having just been completed
in March of 1960 (1-6). Although the dose was sublethal. these
studies of the Marshallese offer a background for describing radia-
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