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BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY OR AND UM Eingham - United Nations, On 28 April I met with Yr. Jonathan B, Binghan, Ti, S, representative on the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations,a this request,to discuss the heath status of the Rongelap people in the light of the report being written by the United Nation ' s team which recently visited Rongelap. Mr. Bingham explained tliat the UN team had been concerned about the complaints of the Rongelap people and were un -c ert a in as to whether they were real or imaginary and how much the people were psycliologically upset about the situation, He asked me to give my opinion about these complaints. I reviewed the complaints of the people thatI knew about, such a s the fish poisoning, sickness from eating arrowroot, the abnormal birth, etc., and told him that we felt there was no medical basis for these complaints as related to radiation effects. I t was ex = plaine d that levels of radioactivity on the Island and in their food were very low and that radiation levels in the people them -s elves were far below maximum permissible concentrations, and that the radiation status of the Island had been carefully evaluated be -fore the people had been allowed to return ; that these and similar complaints had been voiced by the people over the past several years and their concern did not seem to be greater this year than in past years ; that the people, despite these complaints were most friendly and cooperated extremely well in the examinations. He asked m e about radioactivity in vegetation and effects on vegetation, plaine d that the levels in plants at this time were quite low; that some peculiarities in vegetation on the northern islands of the Atoll (which had received much higher doses of radiation) had been noted but it was not known whether ornot these effects were related to Elr, Bingham then wanted t o know what was,in my opinion, the basis for these complaints of the people, I said I did not know with cert an ty, Perhaps outside influence had played apart, He wanted t o know the status of the Rongelap suit,I said as far as our government was concerned the suit had not been legally tended but that the Atomic Energy Commission was preparing a background report on this subject,to be presented to the State and Interior Depart -ments for review, (This staten ent was given on the advice of Dr, I-Je asked why we considered the medical surveys of in port ance,I
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BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY SUBJECT: Interview with Mr, Jonathan 3. Bingham - United Nations, briefly reviewed the accident and the effects on the people and said that in view of the fact the people had received sign if i -c ant effects of radiation,the examinations were considered necessary for the good of the people as well as for the scientific value of the studies, Iwas asked what was the extent of the psychological unrest of the Rongelap people, I said that I thought that t'nere probably was some concern among the people about effects of radiation but that they dPd not appear t o me t o be greatly upset psychologi -c ally, Mr, Eingham stated that the UN team had the feeling that the medical surveys were too brief and cursory. What was my I explained that,with the exception of the 1960 survey which had been reduced in size and scope, I felt that the annual sur -v eys had been extensive enough i n regard to personnel part ic ipa -t ion and examinations conducted to obtain all the necessary i n -formation to properly evaluate the health status of the people, I further explained that the examinations a t Rongelap were only apart of the survey since many samples were brought back tothe US for analysis and the survey work actually continues for months. I suggested that perhaps the UN team had based their impressions on the brief 1960 survey. He then wanted t o know why the 1960 survey had not been as extensive as the others. Mr, Nucker requested that the survey be reduced that year. He wanted t o know why, I said that it was my impression that Mr, Nucker felt the survey teams visiting Rongelap tended to inter -f ere with the economic recovery of the people but that I did not feel qualified to elaborate this point further ; that I felt certain that Mr. Nucker had good reasons for this request. Mr, Bingliam stated that it was his impression that the general routine care of the Rongelap people (between surveys) left a lot t o be desired, What was my opinion? I simply stated that we had installed a radio on Rongelap so that they could be i n con -s tant contact for medical assistance and that the Navy had been very helpful in air evacuation of emergency medical cases,
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BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY Bingham - United Nations, He asked what sort of reports were published on our examinations. ftold him about ozr cornplete Brookhaven survey reports and gave hima copy of oiiz latest report,Itold hiin that,atMr, NQcker's reqitcst, i had sent copies of this report ford is tri bu - tion to the UN visit in ; team and I assumed they all had copies. lie stated that perhaps we did not have much t o worry about, as far as the TU4 report was concerned, since he has recently learned tn at members of the group have indicated they did not feel qualified to evaluate the medical surveys -- and so, perhaps, would be content wit ? i simply stating the complaints of they e ople. He also mentioned that the invitation to visit BNL for a discussion of this subject was apparently not conveyed by the Indian representative to other members o f his group (the British representative had not heard about the invitation), He indicated that they might visit the laboratory at a later time and he 2crsonally would like very much t o see Broolchaven. Xr. 5ing"han concluded the interview by asking me to write a menorandrrm t o him stating the extent of the last survey (number o f yeople Tart i cig at in ; , examinations conducted, length of stay a t ?,onzelzp ar.d general medical status of the people), him that the res-.rlts of the recent survey were not analyzed asy2t an? that I cocl d on?.y make general statements about their health status at this tine. He said that later, when the Trusteeship Council tne t in June, he might want more coniplete data fram ne. A co7y of the menorandr;a t o Mr. Bingham concerning the latest