Medical Survey of the People of Rongelap and Utirik Islands Eleven and Twelve Years Exposure to Fallout Radiation March 1965
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MEDICALSURVEYOF THE PEOPLEOF RONGELAPAND UTIRIK ISLANDS ELEVEN AND TWELVE YEARS AFTER EXPOSURE TO FA11OUT RADIATION (MARCH 1965 AND MARCH 1966) ROBERT A. CONARD, M.D.,LEO-M. MEYER, M.D.,WATARU W. SUTOW, M.D., JAMES 5. ROBERTSOIi, M. D., PH. D., JOSEPH E. RALL, M.D.,PH.D., JACOB ROBBINS, M. D., JOHN E. JESSEPH, M. D., JOSEPH B. DEISHER, M. D., AROBATI HICKING, PRACTITIONER,ISAAC LANWI, PRACTITIONER, ERNEST A. GUSMANO, PH.D., AND MAYNARD EICHER .1 BROOK HAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC. under controct with the UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION BN1 50029 (T-446) (Biology and Medicine - TID-4500) MEDICAL SURVEYOF THE PEOPLEOF RONGEIAP AND UTIRIK ISIANDS- ELEVEN AND TWELVE YEARS AFTER EXPOSURE TO FALLOUT RADIATION (MARCH 1965 AND MARCH 1966) ELEVEN-YEAR SURVEY ROBERT A. CONARD, M.D.,1 LEO M. MEYER, M.D.,2 WATARU W. SUTOW, M.0.,3 JAIAES S. ROBERTSON, M. D., PH. D., 1 JOSEPH E. RALL, M. D., PH.D.,4 JOHN E. JESSEPH, M.D.,1 AROBATI HICKING, PRACTITIONER,5 ISAAC lANWI, PRACTITIONER,5 ERNEST A. GUSAIANO, PH. D., 1 AND MAYNARD EICHER6 with the technical assistance of WILLIAN A. SCOTT, 1 DOUGLAS CLAREUS, 1 LAWRENCE COOK, 1 ERNEST 11BBY,3 KOSANG MIZUTONI,5 SEBIO SHONIBER,5 W. GAYS,5 AND KALMAN KITTIEN5 TWELVE-YEAR SURVEY ROBERT A. CONARD, M.D.,l JACOB ROBEINS, M.D.,4 JOSEPH B. DEISHER, M.D.,s AND AROBATI HICKING, PRACTITIONERS with the technical assistance of WILLIAM A. SCOTT,’ DOUGLAS CLAREUS, 1 SEBIO SHON16ER,5 AND NELSON ZETKEIA5 1BmokhavonNationallaboratory,Uptan,NewYorkII973 4Notiana1Institutesof Htalth,Bethesda,Maryland20014 2longIslondlewishHospital,Queen’sHospitalCenterAffhtian, sDeportmentofMedicalServices,TntstTerritoryaf the PacifkIslands, Jamaica,NewYosk11432 Saipan,MorianaIslands96950 3M,D.AndersonHospital,UniversityofTexas,Houston,Texas77025 ‘NavalWical ResearchInstitute,Bethesda,Maryland20014 B RO OK HAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY UPTON, NEW YORK 11973 — LEG.4L NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of Government sponsored work. Neither the United States. nor the Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of theCommission: .4. .Makes anv warranty or representation, expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of rhe information contained in this report, or that the use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report may not infringe privately owned rights; or B. Assumes any [iabiIities with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of any information, apparatus. methcd, or process disclosed in this report. As used in the above, “person acting on behalf of the Commission” includes any em- ployee or contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor. to the extent that such employee or contractor of the Commmon. or employee of such contractor prepares, disseminates, or prowdes access to, anv informanon pursuant to his empiov- ment or contract with the Commission, or his employment with such contractor. Printed in the United States of .4merica Available from Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technica( Information National Bureau of Standards, U.S. Department of Commerce Springfield, Virginia 22151 Price: Printed Copy $3.00; Microfic 10.65 .\prll 1967 1150 copies CONTENTS — INTRODC-CTION SUMMARY OF P.ASTFINDINCS Penetrating Radiation Beta Irradiation of the Skin Internal Irradiation Other Studies Other Background Information Comparison Populations ORGAXIZ.ATION The 1965 Survey The 1966 Survev FIYDINCS Interval Medical History Illnesses Deaths Births Congenital Anomalies ., Sex Ratio Miscarriages and Stillbirths Vital Statistics on the Utirik People Phvsical Examinations.. Adult Examinations.. Pediatric Examinations Thyroid Findings The Radiation Dose to the Thyroid Glands ,. Previous Thyroid Studies. ,. Protein-Bound Iodine ,., Dietary Iodine and Urinary Excretion of Iodine Thyroid Uptake of Radioiociine Serum Cholesterol.. ., Discussion of Previous Thvroid Studies Development of Thyroid Abnormalities.. CONTENTS — Surgical Cases 31 Gross Appearance 31 Microscopic .Ippearance 33 Thyroid Function Tests Related to Thyroid .\bnormalities and Growth Retardation 33 Results ot’ Thyroid Hormone Therapy 40 Discussion of Thyroid Findings +0 Aging Studies 43 Methods 43 Integument. ,. 43 Special Senses ‘M Cardiovascular Changes 44 Neurological and Neuromuscular Function 44 Miscellaneous Tests 45 Correlation of Data. 45 Results of Aging Studies 46 Discussion of Aging Studies 46 Hematofogical Studies 51 Rongelap Population 51 Ai]ingnae Population . 54 Utirik Population 54 Children of Exposed Parents 55 Leukemia Survey.. 55 Statistical .4nalvsis of Rongelap Blood Data 55 Chromosome Studies .... 55 Other Laboratory Studia. 57 Total Blood Volume and Red Cell Volume.. 57 Test for Australia Antigen 58 Estimation of Internal Body Burdens of Radionuciides 58 Whole-Body Counting . 58 RadioChemical Analysis of Urine. 59 Results and Discussion of Body Burden Estimation ,. 61 Comparison of ‘3’CS Levels in Mamhallese and Alaskan Eskimos.. 63 RadioChemical Analysis of Coconut Crabs ,. 63 . ,= ~A,:,. ~ .-:.” .,- ;, . ~ ,,+-, .+- .. .. ’.” ‘+... -’- . ....># “+..;, ; .. ... .. .... 69 APPENDIX 1. Bibliography Dose to Thyroids of the Rongelap APPENDIX 2. UCRL 12273 - Estimate of Radiation Children Following the Br~vwEvent and Calcution of q. Radioiodine 79 Excretion.. ....... APPENDIX 3. Individual Serum Iodhe Determinations 86 of Marshall Island Populations Under Study 93 Urinary Iodine Excretion. APPENDIX 4. 04 . .......... ... ..... ... -. .4FRENDIX 5. Cholesterol Iq+ljI&.... ....~.-...%%. 96 APPENDIX 6. :%ospital Summ~ of Thyroid Surgical Cases ... Islands, 4 1952- Otto‘i ,r 1962 and APPENDIX ~’ ‘Malignancies ~corded in MarS * !!! Neoplasms Discharged Fro-Hospitals, ~ Number of Patients With Malign” ,, 110 ........ ......... .... 1962-1965 . ~ . ‘“-. “’”-3? .4PPENDIX 8. Rongelap Group and Control Me n Blood Counts 112 at Various Times After Exposure.. .a;. .= . APPENDIX 9. Ailingnae Group and Con%l Mean Blood Counts ......... 113 *,, at Various Times After Exposure... ........~... “ ;...< ~. .*%.* z. ~$,;-:...;+?f+ 114 APPENDIX Utix#&oup Mean Bl~~nts at V@ Times M& Ex 10. *% --i./&$,:’*;.. ,,5 APPENDIX 11. I~&.Iid fiea Findings! 1. .- ~~ +::. ...% 127 ‘ . .~ ..... ...* .*PE~% 12. ..~idual Hem~t~&l l%dings, l%@,, ~....’ .... ..+.& *+&...... ...-....?+ 135 APPENDIX 13;’- ~~lviaal Basophimeterminations, 196~?.. ; ., APp~Nrxx 14, ‘~romosome Studies on Marshallese People Exposed to F@t Rtiiation. z 137 . .... ...’. 149 APPENDIX 15. Total Blood and Red Cell Volume Data.. ..,, Populam ~~ ‘::+-” ...150 APPEPJBI.X16. Studies on Australia Antigen in. M+ronesian ~:* .......&..& . .. .,.;”” 154 .~PPEND&’17. - &ma, Spe@~~ fia%~Rongelap Peopl~- ““x’ &’~ “i%: -=+%f:: “ .,. AP~~x 18. ‘ @esium-~?Iw -.. ~ -m-go ‘etention ~ ................... ......+ “#Tallowing an-onofR~&~_ACU* - ,~?? !& ?. ,.i ~~.. -.~~. ,,,.. ., MEDICALSURVEYOF THE PEOPLEOF RON6ELAP.@ Il.U~’jtlK.,~tMiDS i ELEVENAND TWELVEYEARSAFTEREXPOS@k$ “fALLOU#httfA1lON”i (MARCH1965AND MARCf“966) -- :;;”?:.-.,. ..* ~~-A Introduction ceived only an external gamma dose of about 69 rads, There were 28 American $erv~%rpen on the The results of a medical survey of the people of island of Rongerik further to the eiw$t,,. who received Rongelap in the Marshall Islands, carried out in abou-~ the”” same amou”nt of radiation as did the March 1963 and lMarch 1966. 11 and 12 years Rongelap people on Ailingnae. $A@y, 157 \lar- after the accident, are presented in this report. shallese on Utirik Island - , utl!~‘ ‘“ miles further These people had been accidently exposed to fall- east, received an estimat F ’14 ~’c&of whole-bociv out radiation following a detonation of a high radiation. The fallou~ w.~’”not Y&Me on this island yield thermonuclear device during experiments at and no skin effe-gs &vkped. - ~, Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds in March The exposed-pe~le were ~&tated from these 1954, .An unpredicted shift in winds caused a islands by pl,anqytd,. ship abou{,2 days after the accident &#Lt&@n to KwajaI~in Naval B.ist deposition of significant amounts of fallout on four .**, L e. inhabited Marshall Islands to the east of Bikini about 1 ~md the sout&’4where they re- ceived &* “ siv~~ @unir@#ihi for the follot~ ing i tsee Figure 1) and also on 23 Japanese fishermen *.= ,. aboard their fishing vessel, the .LuckYDragon. Of months. ~ tHkgeri6d vigorous efforts ,, me the inhabitants of the island of Rongelap, 105 necessary to decork+arninate tliqskin compieteJ~ nautical miles away from the detonation, 64 re- (see Figure 2). .;: ,;=~”.+ ceived the largest fallout exposure: an estimated In view of the generally [email protected]&li&;~lw dose of 175 rads of whole-body gamma radiation, .American servicernen,.~ w~y’tijr returned (!~ contamination of the skin sufficient to result in their duty stations. The Utirik people were Jlv JJ i- beta burns, and slight internal absorption of radio- lowed to return to their home island, where I-:1(It{,- active materials through inhalation and ingestion. active contamination was slight enough t~~.lll(lit Another 18 Rongelap people away on a nearbv safe habitation. Because Rongelap Atoll was ([ 1[1- island (Ailingnae j, where less fallout occurred, re- sidered to be too highly contaminated, a [rm[J(l- 5oor 200r 1 :--”.”.”-. ONGERIK - -“ RONGELAP - - .- - “. .“ * v Q------- Q sKWAJALEIN Q 0° Figure 2. Marshallese bathing in lagoon at K,, ,iI.iICIIIII MAJURC bt Figure 1. Map of fallout area. Q March 1954 to decontaminate skin and hair alter t.~11(,,[~ Marshall Islands.