39
age 34) died of a genitourinary infection complicating diabetes even though she (along with the
other cases) had been placed on oral therapy with
for all age groups, a relatively low figure com-
pared with that for Japanese and American
societies.
Orinase (tolbutamid tablets). (It was later found
Thyroid Metabolism
that these patients did not take the tablets con-
Table 24 showsresults of protein bound iodine,
sistently.}
Table 26 compares the mortality from diabetes
in the United States*’ and the Marshail Islands.
The incidence appears higher in the Marshall
total iodine, and butanol extractable iodine deter-
minations. The 12 samples obtained in 1959
showed values definitely lower than the 1958
values, although several readings werestill some-
Islands and on Rongelap Island (based onits
what high. It was thought that the high 1958
levels must have been due to contaminatedglass-
small population), It should be noted that, since
only routine urine examinations were done on the
Rongelap people, the incidence of diabetes may
actually be higher. The greater incidence of deaths
due to diabetes in the Marshall Islands than in the
United States in 1956 and 1957°' isstatistically
significant (0.01 >p>>0.001).
ware in spite of the great care taken to maintain
strict cleanliness.
Glucosuria
On routine urine analysis during the 1959 sur-
a|
vey one male andfour females(all in the unexposed group) were found to have glucosuria; all
but one of these also had an elevated fasting blood
sugar level* (see Table 25). These individuals
were considered to have mild diabetes mellitus.
Later during the year one ofthese cases (#854,F,
*We are grateful to Dr. W.W. Fennel at Kwajalein for having
the blood sugar analyzed.
Serum Vitamin B,,
Analysis of the 15 serum samples obtained in
1959 again showed, as in 1958, vitamin B,, levels
slightly higher than normal. The mean value was
714 pug/mil, with a range of 312 to 1500. A scatter-
gram oflevels for both years was plotted against
white blood count, since it has been shownthat in
leukemia the white cells have a higher B,, binding
Table 23
Results of Complement Fixation Tests on Rongelap People, 1959, by Age and Sex
No.in
FluA
Age, age
yr
group No.
Flu B
&% No.
%
HA 1
HA 2
Long
(Respiratory
CA
(Parainfluenza 3) (Parainfluenza 1) (Parainfluenza 2) syncitial. CCA)
No.
Fo
No.
To
No.
LGV
Adeno
To
No.
%
No
1
1
4
5
6
14
6
35
58
30
14
16
10
82
67
50
2
3
26
43
40
2
1
10
6
4
6
5
33
29
29
3
6
15
4
41
Mumps
% No
(Psittacosis
group)
rom
(Positive Reactions of Serum Dilutions 1-10)
QF
(Q fever)
%
No.
%
No. %
2
6
12
25
1
3
l
6
13
5
2
2
1
12
8
5
66
8
13
#5
8
5
68
1
ll
11
9
100
92
52
53
3
5
14
2
1
l
3
8
5
18
1
8
29
32
63
8
16
#5
10
1
2
37
72
64 16
14
10
9
6
65
Females
1-5
0
6-15
16-40
>40
17
24
20
4
4
17
20
9
7
38
35
8
19
16
47
79
80
Total
61
8
13
16
26
43
70
0
.
1- 5
6-15
16-40
>40
1
12
21
17
1
4
6
8
i9
35
2
8
12
17
38
71
11
18
14
92
86
82
Total
51
I
22
22
43
43
84
0
Total
112
19
17 38
34
86
77
0
fia
Males
Females Plus Males
3