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ATOMIC ENERGY COMFLtSS ION Note by the Acting Secreta~ The General Manager has requested that the attached memorandum from the Director of Btology and Medlcfne be circulated for the information of the Commission. Asst. Gen. N@. IA Asst. Gen. Mgr. Adm, Biology and Medicine Office of Plans
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YIllvisfonof Biology and Ne Icine It is a pleasure b report that Dr. Robert A. Conmii, surveyof the F.ongelappeople during March 1961 and found them to be essentially the same as in the preceding survey. All of the date coHect@ have not yet been analyzed, but it is ~asonable ti say they are not sho---- ing clinical. evidence of chronic radistion effects other than negligible residual color changea of the skin. The trip report dated April 18, 1961. “The m=cal data have not been analyzed yet but It can abilities related to radiation effects and the geneml state of nutrition -ma geaerally good end ebout the sze as it had been noted in the past years. There h-d been no deakbs during the psst year in the exposed popilstica. In the comparison ~ontm~po-pulation en aneacephelic baby was born which caused quite an @ression on the people, and one young boy had died of pneumonia. The people had the usual complaints about various eflects of their radiation environment, but their coopera%lon was Dr. Macdonald and I attended a meeting with t Rcqelap people in the Council House and we GM him about the intended examinations. The people voiced continuedconcern about the effects of fallout on their Atoll and on tl!emselvea. I did not feel that their concern waa sny greater this ye= than expressed. in slmllar meetings with ‘te people dting the past years. A chief camplsint was that they were not getting enmgh to eat and felt ueak. Dr. Mciiomld told them t%hstthe ‘h-ust
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not pursued since certain fish have it cfincernedadministrative DOMCY of the . a black spot in their abdomen whi~ ther : believe IS related to r.edio~ctivityend causes the sfckne;si They are still aisgruntleathat they are not allowed to eati the coconut crabs which is forbidden because of the high 1 Concent=tion of Sinvntiumw. They complained that the ! coconuts were small ma referredto certain changes in the ~ coconut and panbnus trees which they believe are due to fallout. There was e complaint tbt I had not heard before, that severalpeople had gotten inflammationand blistering of the mouth from eating arrowroot flour. This latter complaint was probab~ due to ~rdp~? preparation of the flour which is knoti ta.produce SUCH symptoms. I heard no mention of the k.~% agaibst the Vnite& States Gorerrment. (Dr. ].:acdonaidhatfshowe. timea report of the United Kations team~s visit to-Rongelap. The complaints voiced to this group were about the same as described above.)”