state of mind.
In terms of the irradiation of the Marshallese,
has been especially true with two groups of people:
this
the Utirikese,
and those Rongelapese and Utirikese who are used as control,
or com-
parison groups,
This fact is illustrated by the question posed during the public
meeting at Utirik.
The question was,
people of Rongelap?"
"How do we compare with the
One would imagine that after nearly two decades,
these people would have some understanding of their exposure and
how it differed from their neighbors,
case.
Apparently,
this is not the
This uncertainty despite the annual reassurances of the team
that the people are in good health
on for thyroid nodules)
of the islands,
(except for those who are operated
has resulted in mixed feelings in the people
These general feelings of insecurity can be roughly
grouped into three catagories:
1.
Rongelapese exposed,
of their exposure,
Perhaps because of the visible effects
these people seem to have the best understanding
in certain areas of their situation,
It was this group of people
who generally expressed a desire for additional medical attention
ranging from having Dr.
Knudsen stationed on the island to having
more frequent medical examinations.
However, these people still
need to have explained to them in their language at their level of
understanding the circumstances of their exposure and its past and
possible effects.
This is clearly shown by a passage in the seven
year report which notes that the health aide "admitted that some of
the people at times had eaten coconut crabs in spite of the fact they
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