254
RADIOACTIVITY IN MAN
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Figure +. Mean platelet values for exposed Rongelap people from cxposure
through five vears after exposure. Stars represent mean values for comparison
populations.
with change in environment cannot be ruled out. Four babies irradiated 7 ufero appeared normal at birth.
Late Effects
It has been learned. from animal studies and limited experience
with human beings, that certain late effects of radiation may occur
in those surviving acute ganima radiation. Some of these are:
shortening of life span (8, 9, 10, 11): premature aging andearly
development of degenerative diseases (12. 13): earlier appearance
and possibly increased incidence of cancer and leukemia (14, 15,
16); radiation cataracts (17); impairment of reproduction
(18,
19} : impairment of growth and development (20. 21): and genctic
effects (22).
Late Effects in the Marshallese. The only possible effects noted
in the Marshallese have been: (1) the incidence of miscarriages
and stillbirths appears to have been somewhat higher in the exposed women than in the unexposed—but a deficieney of vital
statistics and the small number of women involved preclude definite conclusions: (2) evidence suggestive of a slight lag in erawth
and development in the exposed children during the first two
vears after exposure is being re-evaluated on the basis of better
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