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BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY
ASSOCIATED
UNIVERSITIES.
[NC.. UPTON. Li. NY. 11973
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
TELEPHONE: (516) 345- 3577
October 13, 1972
Mr. Brian Farley
Staff Member
Special Joint Committee Concerning
Rongelap and Utirik Atolls
Congress of Micronesia
Saipan, Mariana Islands 96950
Dear Mr. Farley:
Thank you for your letter of October 4, 1972.
You requested
a rough summary of the survey. The following summary must be
considered preliminary in nature.
The medical records and equipment have not yet arrived from the islands.
[I understand that the
quarantine due to the influenza epidemic held up the Militobi
departure for Kwajalein, where our material was
from.
to be airshipped
You will remember that in the March survey we were able to
complete the examinations on the Rongelap and Utirik people at
Ebeye. Therefore, the following examinations were performed at
Rongelap, Utirik and Majuro atolls:
Group
Rongelap
Rongelap exposed
23
Children of exposed
Utirik
Rongelap unexposed
Children of unexposed
Total
Utirik
~
Ma juro
9
16
-
14
~
6
4
46
2
-
30
8
6
49
48
67
In addition, a large number of other people were examined and
treated for routine ailments during sick call each morning at Rongelap
and Utirik.
At Rongelap an epidemic of severe gastrointestinal
infection, frequently complicated by upper respiratory infection and,
in some cases, by pneumonitis, were treated, At least a dozen children
were involved. A total of some 40-50 people were . eated at sick call
at Rongelap. At Utirik also a large number of children (26 in one
morning) and some 20-30 adults were treated for various ailments. At
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