ATTACHMENT 7

 

                           July 10, 1958
Admiral B. W. Hogan
Surgeon General, MC
Department of the Navy
Chief of the Bureau of Medicine
  and Surgery
Bethesda 14, Maryland

Dear Admiral Hogan:

I am sure that you are completely aware of the problem of the
Marshallese Islanders.  As you know, following their emergency
evaluation they were very carefully studied and detailed records
maintained of the health of each individual.  They have now been
returned to their native Islands, and we consider that it is
essential that we continue to maintain detailed medical records. 
We feel this is necessary to continue the research effort doing a
long-term follow-up on these people.

In addition, it is extremely desirable that the health of these
natives on the North Islands be maintained in the best possible
state.  A corollary of such care is that the records would also
be invaluable in the event of claims of personal damage in the
future.  Our problem then is to make it as attractive as possible
for the native to seek adequate medical care regardless of the
etiology of the condition.

Following the 5th Survey of the Marshallese islander in February
1958, the leader of the team, Dr. Robert A. Conard, Brookhaven
National Laboratory, called to my attention the fact that the
Marshallese natives were charged the regular fee of $5.00 per day
by the Navy for hospitalization at Kwajalein.  Dr. Conard has
learned from Mr. Maynard Neas, District Administrator, Majuro
District, Trust Territory of Pacific Islands, Majuro, Marshall
Islands, that the charge of $5.00 per day represented a very
major outlay ont he part of the Rongelapese and that they were
loath to use the medical services which might be indicated.

The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to inquire if it would
be possible for the Navy to waive the $5.00 per day charge until
the Rongelap people become economically stabilized and after this
time perhaps to charge a fee comparable to the usual Trust
Territory hospitalization fee, which, I believe, is $1.00 per
day.  As you know the Rongelap natives were returned to their
home Island in the middle of 1957 and as yet have not gotten back
on their feet economically.


REPOSITORY     Washington National Records Center
COLLECTION     32681-6
BOX No.        Box 1
FOLDER

OFFICE
SURNAME
DATE
AEC-318 (Rev. 9-53)      
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 116--62761-6


Admiral B. W. Hogan           -2-            July 10, 1958

The assistance and cooperation of the Naval Medical Corps in
assisting in the care of the health of these natives exposed to
radiation in 1954 has proved extremely valuable in the past in
maintaining good relations with the native population of the test
area.  Any further assistance, you may be able to give,
particularly in the problem of hospitalization costs even on a
temporary basis would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

C.L. Dunham, M.D.
Director
Division of Biology and Medicine

cc:  Brig. General Starbird

OFFICE         BMM            DIR. DBM
SURNAME        HDBruner       CLDunham
DATE           7-10-58        7-10-58

AEC-318 (Rev. 9-53)      
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 116--62761-6