number of them in the exposed group. The
boat was loaded pretty well down to the
water line and as we set out to cross the lagoon the early morning tide rushing through
the passes into the lagoon caused a very
turbulent and rough cross-chop. While it
was of some comfort that we were rarely
more than a few hundred yards from coral
reefs and sandy beaches, the waves splashing
over us made the outgoing trip rather miserable, and the fear of swamping with the
possibility of encountering a shark or barracuda was not a very comforting thought.
However, we arrived safe but very wet
and set out hiking around to visit the old
and feeble natives residing on this isolated
spot. It took all day to conduct the examinations and collect the specimens. However, since the wind had died down and the
tide was not running, the trip back was uneventful and dry.
STUDIES ON SCHEDULE
Our studies were concluded on schedule
but not before a generator failure nearly
cost us dearly. On Rongelap there was no
electricity and a mobile generator had been
sent out by the Navy. It was supposedly
in good working condition andsince it supplied all our electrical equipment, including
deep freeze and refrigerators where we
stored our specimens and our food, it was
a vital piece of equipment. The Ron Annim
had sailed away although we were in touch
with her by radio, also with Kwajalein.
Doug ‘Clareus, our very capable electronics
expert, had done a great job in the electrical department.: However. 48 hours after the
ship had sailed the generator motor began
to skip and before long it cut out altogether.
Doug managed to get off a radio message
before the power failed completely but try
as he could, the generator motor would not
function. Fortunately the Ron Annim had
received our message and relayed it on to
Kwajalein. The next morning, just as we
were dispairing of saving our perishable
food supply and specimens, a Navy am-
phibious plane circled over the island and
landed in the lagoon. On board were two
generator repairmen and extra parts. The
generator was finally fixed and a stand-by
32
generator flown in. We had no more trouble for the rest of our stay on Rongelap.
The Marshallese were very cooperative
on this visit and only one individual refused
the examination. On prior surveys the team
lived on board ship but living on shore in
the tent was more comfortable and afforded
a much better and closer association with
the natives. On March 22nd the Ron Annim returned to the lagoon and after taking
down the tent and packing up the equip-
ment, we reloaded and sailed back to Kwa-
jalein. On our way to Kwajalein a radio
message directed to Bob Conard on the ship
requested that members of the survey team
proceed to the Island of Ponape in the Car-
olines to examine a young Marshallese student who had been exposed to radiation on
Rongelap. The Navy fiew us to Ponape, a
beautiful
mountainous
island
about
400
miles west of Kwajalein in the direction of
the New Guinea coast.
It was an exciting
landing in the reef-infested lagoon and the
lush green and very tropical-looking island
proved to be a delightful and interesting
place. On Ponape the District Administrator of the Trust Territory, Maynard Neas,
his assistant, Dr. J. Umholfer and his wife,
were extremely kind and hospitable.
The following day we flew back to Kwajalein, meanwhile, the rest of the party visited
Ebeye and finished up the examinations on
a group of children and a few adults. The
serum specimens were placed in dry ice for
the air trip home, equipment was repacked
for shipment by boat to the U. S. and on
March 26th the party flew to Honolulu there
team broke up and returned home.
RESULTS ARE BEING ANALYZED
The results of this survey are still being
tabulated and analyzed; they will form the
basis of another report prepared by Dr.
Conard and his consultants. Undoubtedly
no gross abnormalities will be found in these
Marshallese and scars of beta burns have
continued to fade. Depression of white cells
and platelets noted earlier in the more
heavily exposed natives, have long since returned to normal levels.
However, on this
survey for the first time cytogenetic studies
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