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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION MEMORANDUM FOR 'CHAIRMAN SEABORG GENTHROUGH GENERAL MANAGER SUBJECT: RECENT INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THYROID DISEASE IN THE MARSHALLESE EXPOSED TO FALLOUT FROM THE BIKINI TEST OF Since our last memorandum on this subject dated January YJ} 19^7) the complete annual medical surv.ey of the people of Rongelap Island has been carried out by a team of physicians from the United States and the Trust Territory headed by Dr. Robert A. Conard of the Medical Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory. One new case with a thyroid nodule was discovered. This additional case was in a 17-year old boy who had been away on an outlying atoll and_, consequently, had not been examined for several years. At this time, in the group exposed at an age of less than ten years, l6 of a total of 19 children (84 percent) have developed thyroid pathology. Of these 16 children, two have displayed hypothyroidism. It appears that these two boys showing growth retardation have had a spurt in growth under treat ment with thyroid hormone. . ’ The remaining 14 children have had thyroid nodules. Nine have been ’ treated surgically. These nine children plus two adults who have received surgery were all found to be in good condition with no further apparent thyroid abnormalities.- Five children with thyroid nodules are receiving thyroid medication. The thyroid nodules in two of these children showed significant regression; of the other three, one is the new case, and the other two children are not felt to have received an ' adequate trial on this therapy. A decision regarding surgery has been D artment Of Energ?os^one<^ intensive thyroid hormone medication can be tried. — -Historian’s Office jjri Conard reports no other noteworthy medical findings and no unusual ARCHIVES illnesses or diseases that could he related to radiation effects. US DOE ARCHIVES 326 US ATOMIC ENERGY