Documented health effects have included acute radiation sickness as well as high rates of thyroid neoplasms and hypothyroidism as the most frequent long-term health effect in the highly exposed Rongelap population. The book offers a glimpse of their thoughts on radiation exposure. Many feel their health has been severely damaged by radiation and they live in fear of future illness. Unfortunately, the author presents her own somewhat biased view that there is evidence to support radiation as the cause of all or most of the health concerns experienced by the Marshallese people. Dibblin characterizes the impressions of a physician who performed a few dozen physical examinations as the results of a thorough scientific study, and there are factual errors concerning radiation induced health effects.
Many statements are unreferenced or incorrectly referenced, or refer to unpublished reports.
This island, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, has high rates of suicide, infant mortality, malnutrition, alcoholism, and infectious disease, including sexually transmitted diseases. There were no burns. All were reported well. After the completion of the atomic test, the natives will be returned to their homes. As the author points out, the AE C knew at the time this statement was read that many Marshallese had suffered burns, nausea, and vomiting, symptoms of acute radiation sickness, and that the 15 to 17-megaton Bravo test was anything but routine.