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IN REPLY RU~ TOI Medical Research Center Upton, New York 11973 On November 3, 1970 Mr. G. G. Scarpino of San Antonio, Texas was admitted to this hospital for obsenation and evaluation. From the enclosed discharge sumnary you may see that he had a multiplicity Of complaint and was found to have certain conditions which he all related to an exposure to.ionizing radiation in the Marshall Islands. In reviewing the locally available literature-7follow-upexaminations of these Marshallese, I Y’noted that Dr. Sutow was a member of the team examiners. When I called him for assistance he advised me to get in touch with you. I hope I ‘amnot imposing upon your time. I am enclosing also a statement Mr. Scarpino has made about the accident. My questions are: Are you aware of any American service men being on an island of the Bikini Atoll at the time of the fallout incidence other than Rongerik. Mr. Scarpino claims that he was 20 miles from ground “O” while in fact Rongelap is listed as 105 nautical miles from ground “O” and Rongerik evenfarther. This appears to be a discrepancy unless there was another group of American service men somewhere else than Rongerik. Secondly I was wondering if you know of anyone who has done a close followup on the 28 American service men on the Island of Rongerik and with what re8ult8. Of course, I do realize that almost all of Mr. Scarpino’s problems are not related to the incident, at least physically. Yet I do want to be fair and correct in my judgement. And this iEJthe reason why I am seeking your advice and your help. And one more favor! I would appreciate it if you could send me the reprints of articles published by your group on the Marshallese Islanders. I am looking forward to hearing from YOU and let me thank you in advance for Chief, Nuclear Medicine InClude Zip Code in your return eddress end give vcteran’s stxial security numbr.
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~. Noti and freckles On tho skim &++ 6. Euthyroid s titus in regard to thyroid problem. ‘o 4l ‘Jhiswas the first Houstin Veterans Administration Hospital. admission for this 28-. year-old, white sertice male electronic technician from San Antinio, Texas, who was seen for evaluation of his longstanding diabetes mellitus, gout, hypothyroidism, and lumbosacral strain. The pa’dent also has had symptims of postural.hypotension. He dated all his problems back b irradiation in 19sljwhile in sertice. In 19~h, the patient was on electronics and radio technician in the ~ Force and was in the Biktii Atoll island during the hydrogen and ato.ticbomb tisting. He, along with several others, was exposed on different occasions ti a tibl of 2,490 R?* and three days post exposure was measured himse~ h bs ca.rz@_ng35 rads of beti ra~ation. Accompanying letter can be read. He was noted ~SO b have radiation sickness immedia’~ly af tir exposure. About 1957- 1958,the patient notad rmltiple &r” spots (nevi) on his torso, then his arms, neck, face and lower extremities. He also noted loss of h~, increased weight gain and appetite, poly-uria and poly - dipsia. About this time, he also noted swelling of his ankles and finger joints. diabotos mollitus, hypothyroidism and acuta gout. The patient had been troatid titi oral hypoglycomics for his diabetes xnelli.tusand Bcncmid for his gout. The patient ako had Sontinued b have might control probl~~ and roc~encos of his gout.since then. Patient had multiple coa~lainti nou related to the abovo disordors pain of the left leg with use,of the left leg. He also complaixiod of rnmbness and tinglhg of the left lower extremity. He had also noted intilera.nce to certain foods, espocialdy animal. fat. He had also notad some dizztiess and visual disturbance of lata with postural changes. !lhepatient felt that all of his problens were secondary to radiation he received h 195~and wanted to be evaluated for Ms reason. He felt the government is responsible and should co~ensati for his affl-ictions. The social history included his occupation as-an electronics
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hydro&onbomb testing during 1954. Patient statad he did not drink, occasional social drinking . He was on DBI ~0 milligrams txico a day, Benernid four times a day. Family history was not renwrkable. In 19s1, he had spinal nmingitis ~d lumbosacral strain. In 19514,radiation sickness, diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism and gbut sinco 1963. Ho had an appendectomy and tansillectm~ and adonoidoctomy in the 19.$0Is. ‘he revlow of systms ‘wasessentially as presented in tho history of”present” illness. On physical examination, ho was a well-dmolopcd modcratoly obese”malo in no acuta distress, alert, conscious, coherent and intelligent. Blood prosstio was l&)/100 ri~h~ am rocurnbentposition, pulse 89 and re~gular,respiration~ 20 per minute and regular. ” Head, eyes, ears, nose and throat ex-aminationrevealed prominent conjunctival, sclerao clear, pupils rcactivo to li@t and accommodation, fundi revealed Grade I “toII changes and they also” had small nultiplo exudatis j bila-toral,more on” the left “side. Uvula and soft, ‘- carotids equil.j”no””bruits; no lymph nodes palpable; thyroid barely palpaue. Iho and a ‘“few”titinial skin tags’. Peripheral blood sys ternsnormal, -peripheral vessels palpable. Skeletal sys teinnorr&. Neurological examination revealed left lotier extremi@ small deficit of sensory and position sense on “tie left. Motor sys~ intict. Cranial “nerves”no~~. Cerebral sys ‘km normal. Gait and speech noxinal.” has essentially” negative i Later onj the urine ~~~tion revealed 10 ta 12 wMti moro than 15,000 colonies, predominantly Streptococci, not ontorococci. khiti ‘. - blood COIL couht was 9,200, ha~ticrit 48$,hc:flo~lobti15.2, red blood colh 6.9. Uric acid - Wtially, it was 8.5,later.on”in trealment with ‘K!_lopurinol~.d revealed sugar 3 positive. WBC stone differential showed neutrophiles %, banti 2, bphocytes 3?, monocytes 3, eosinophiles, plateleti 204,000. Electrolytes: C% VA Hospital., Eous tin, Tmas W- 11-27-1970 307-10-4
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Of the”spine “-Andtho tignmont and interspacing of the vertebr& appeared witkckf ‘toiliterprot.‘“No” abnoimfl gai pattm-i seen; abdominal film wi&in normal limits. ‘Derma”tilo=’ consultationwas ‘ofthe opinion the patient had freckles and nevi’ -owr” tie’ body and their opinioh wore that they are %enign. Me txbolic “and cndoctie ‘md.litus; hypothyroidism; and gout could be rasponsibl!e for this also. The conwis considered. The patient was seen by EXT Service’ for his hearing problem on ‘.- the left side “which was r“eportedas “noxmal.. He had an episode of episti-<iswhile patient >afused to undergo those tests, so he left tie hospital befora those “:: ‘tisk ‘“CotCLdbe done. Audiologic tist done to ‘Gvaluato his hearing problem was
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;.. in chc series. I was conviuccd to go on the p:cnise that I would set up my radia, chec!: it for opc~ation and evacuate aboard ship at sea. Eo>-.’.“ ; ~ ..::’” “.,,ever, when the tine came the scicnclsts did not think it a Good idea co .... . . run the shot without a radio tec!~nicianbecause of so many delays already (.-:{l ,-”:. ‘“’without me and I was then told I could leave *~ith [he coptors that were I .: ,.: flyin~ the scientists when they left after arnin: the bomb. Sonetinc around “ ! . -.”‘ and said they did not know I was supposed to”go back with the copters etc., ,. produce twice ,that, however later results showed three times or almost 50 0...; ..”:“ expect and what to do nnd not to panic bccausc the ships wera close by and.. on “T” shire, shores, shore sleeve khaki shirt and khaki berzudes and CI bunker and report fallout- zo ships. Nnile canterplzting a Z%cisfOn foz . as not to endanger the shi;s and people or. t~cri. About 5:OC 2.rI.no nare :At this :i=e the geiger counter at che inside of the c!aor{“a= of ships return with loss of comunicccions w3s three :a fc”.i=ho..=s. only eye “nolcs CO see and snail onas at that. The copters bczzcd che bdriker.. - 1’ “on the way to the landing pad. S?e all soc in abandoned two vehicles and..:
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so as not to strJin dzmJ$cd vehicles and hai*c a breakdon and beconc . rcachcd the copccrs sJfc, boarded, and returned to che ships. It W2S c.o_,J about 5:00 p.m. shot day. wc landed the ship on a Iargc ca:~vaspad. UC strip disposal. After about 10 cir,uteswc were all told co walk over an o~e> It cook about 12 hours to return to home bazc Zniwctolc from ;lklni. I slept . on the first han~ar deck with the wheel of a copcer for my pfllow that niaht. Re:urncd to my squadran and reported on my assfgnncnt. On the scc6a-dday headache. Ve:y little sleep chat ni~ht. On Che third day after O, I had severe headache, a ti~h: forzhcad with loss and blurry visipn, feverish and F!y co~.~ader saw me and asked my problen water shower and the ~elger co~nter check; He a.dvisec!that I go to the Enivoeto;:dccoa station fi=sc and then sick call. A check for gamma shovs some meter movezznt. +. -.of hair. I Ccze out, gec zhccked and X am still hoc abazc lZX. I retcrn Co the shower with a brush snd scrub brush my head... till i 3n sore. I nwd ..” read abcut 75 }3. Again I go so the shc~ez and stand cn~er ic for a long tine, lectin~ the water hit my head becacse it is so sore fzcm acru~bing. ‘i 1.’. vas pretty hungry ar.d so I go co chow ~zcause it was alnmst 6:00 p.m. I have -<raculously recuperated so I do noc go to sick call. . island and was supposed to be safe now.,. ..: only one hoer and return co ship. I feel no ill effe:cs this excep: fo:
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I am wcarin~ full len~th airforcc coveralls.. this time with T shirt and ,. ..., shorts unclcrncath. Xo measuring devices given m. Return to squadron Exposure +3. About the 7ch or E&h shot in the series I was ac Zniwccok people rcmovad aboard ships. wc were all (about 50 men trtour ~roup only visahle) told to so c!o~in to avocw waters Cdze on the beach and lie face chat fierce white li~ht that makes cvcry:hing look like a fflm nezative and the air shock wave. No after effeets at this time! Thfs shot was across Eniwetok lagoon. I don’i renembcr the distance and wc all wore long pants and shirt fatigues plus T shirt and shorts. Only a few people had protective gog$les. I did not get a pair! NO detection devices were given to anyone ei~her! -This was a 30 co 50 K atom boab. Exposure <~. On the very last shoe I was ordzred to go to AEC island-in the shot I was about 80 miles from ground O with .s20 to 30K ator bomb. The work area wzs a corrugated aluminum building. They all saic?no dang=r. At shot time minus 1 minute eve:ybody (scientists) scrambles outside the door and divas for cover. I arr.Shoe’kedand flab>ezgasced aad ~0 to tunedoor of d~manite and I felt my ears pop like riding in ac airplen= slang vich QY ,over prcsscre of the sur~ace air. So ill effect9 fels 3z this Efne. End I was stationed at Eniweco!c-31kini for fivs months.” After zeccrc to ZI I was ge:zing concsznzd now to ga on sick call when the spell was bro!<e~ sensitive, flesh bulb sensitive, extrezely nervous foz a long tine afzez. Zebruazy 1960 I gec married. .. Axil” 1961 I have a hcalchy; Perfect nine pound baby &irlQ No defects or-. abnormalities at age two. ‘Di~orced Deceaber
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About 1957-1958 discovery of c?Jrkskin discolorations on torso only, .Hecvy water Jrinkicg at night, heavy urination at night Ninor mcnory losses. hy?o thy=roidism and acute gout xhilein hospital for lumbar sacral strain. Cannot digest animal fat. .-August 1964 pinc!~cd scia:ic nerve in left leg by acute lumbar strain . bss of partial use of left leg. Occasional flut~ering of Iefc esr drum and stea~y tones present. Deterioration of diabetic condicion. Occzs~onal loss of hearing in lefz zar or steady to”ie~. Tiny skin polY2s growing on both sidzs of neck. RcCurn of loud noises sensicivfty. Atrophy of Iefc lICC muscles.