13
slightly atrophic.
Treatment of the skin lesions con-
sisted of daily cleansing and symptomatic therapy with
the exception of locally applied antibiotic ointments for
infected lesions and in one case parenterally given peni-
cillin.
The possibility that cancer might develop at the site
of some of these lesions must be considered. Favoring
such development are the long life expectancy of the
numerous children in the exposed group, constant ex-
posure to tropical sunlight, and the possible influence of
additional sublethal whole-body exposure. Against such
development are the superficial nature of the lesions,
rapid healing with little in the way of residual gross defects, and only minimal evidence of histological damage
by six months.
Pigmentation of the semilunar area of the fingernails
and toenails was observed about the 23rd day in most
of the Marshallese in the higher exposure groups and in
the five American Negroes but in none of the white
Americans. The pigmentation was beneath the nail and
progressed distally with growth of the nail. A similar
phenomenon has been observed in a Negro womanafter
local therapeutic irradiation.®
INTERNAL RADIATION HAZARD
Radiochemical analysis of numerous urine samples of
exposed personnel showed that the degree of internal
absorption of radioactive materials was roughly propor-
tional to the calculated external dose and, therefore,
to the concentrations of air-borne fission products. The
degree of internal radiation hazard was too low to have
contributed significantly to the acute radiation syndrome
observed. The concentration and type of internal radioactive contaminants minimize the probability of any
significant long-term effects from the internal radiation.
SUMMARY
AND
CONCLUSIONS
After detonation of a thermonuclear device in the
Marshall Islands in the spring of 1954, radioactive fallout occurred over an area of thousands of square miles
6. Sutton, R. L., Jr.: Transverse Band Pigmentation of Fingernails
After X-Ray Therapy, J. A. M. A. 150: 210 (Sept. 20) 1952.
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