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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1977)
Page 6 THE BATTALION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1977 NOTICE! BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE MAJORS Cooperative Education in Biomedical Science Has Arrived! Beginning in the Spring semester of 1978 Cooperative Education will be available to Biomedical Science students. If you would like to find out more about the Cooperative Education Program, attend one of these meetings at your convenience. Meetings will be held in the College of Veterinary Medicine as follows: November 21, 1977 11:00 AM Room 331 VMA November 28, 1977 4:00 PM Room 210 VMS November 29, 1977 4:30 PM Room 331 VMA November 30, 1977 3:00 PM Room 330 VMA Monday Monday T uesday Wednesday Venereal disease Think you’re love sick? Ab-M, county offer help By KATYE KOWIERSCHKE The state of Texas isn’t No. 1 in everything, though it still ranks among the top 10 in some things. For example, in the 1976 national venereal disease (VD) survey, Texas was fifth in the number of cases of syphilis and ninth in gonorrhea (GC). These percentages, according to the “VD Fact Sheet by the Cen ter for Disease Control (HEW)” show 82,304 cases of gonorrhea and 2041 of infectious syphilis — an eight percent annual increase in the first and 29 percent increase in the second. And what of 1977? Based on statistics for the first six months of the year, projections are good and bad. Bad for syphilis, whose antici pated total is 4932, more than dou ble last year, and good for gonorrhea where the figure is expected to drop to 78,754, says Joe Pair, adminis trator for the venereal disease divi sion of the Texas Department of Health in Austin. But Pair is not as concerned about the persons represented in the statistics as he is for the estimated quarter of a million cases of VD walking Texas’ streets undiagnosed and untreated. It is estimated that each of these persons will infect at least three more. Pair says the quarter of a million figure doesn’t mean much when you see it on paper, “but when you think of it as a 240-mile single line of people,” then it becomes more of a problem. And the problem isn’t one that af fects “those other people and not me,” because it exists in Brazos County. Dr. George Mcllhaney, acting director of the Brazos County Health Department, says local fig ures correlate with the state’s show ing syphilis on the rise and gonorrhea on the decline. The switch in status is somewhat surprising to clinicians who have known for years about the high con- It is estimated that a quarter of a million cases of VD are walking Texas’ streets undiag nosed and untreated. tagion ratio or contagiousness of both diseases, but much more for gonorrhea. A female exposed to a GC-infected male has a 90 percent chance of contracting it unless she is on birth control pills, say au thorities. The Pill raises her chances to 100 percent because the hormone makes the pH (acid-base balance) of the vagina right for growing the dip- lococci known as Neisseria gonorrhea. The other six venereal diseases (so named for the love god dess Venus) are also infectious, but not like gonorrhea. GC and syphilis lead the contag ion list of VD, although all seven diseases are transmitted the same way: close skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. The pamphlet “Venereal disease education is not sex education” makes it clear that old wives’ tales of cases resulting SHUGART COUPON ssa Thursday, Friday & Saturday November 17-18-19 MANOR EAST 3 THEATRES MANOR EAST MALL YOU HAVE SEEN GREAT ADVENliiltis.’ YOU ARE ABOUT TO LIVE ONE. DOLBY 4-CHANNEL 7:30-9:55 wmcor punts m'DEiuxs.* irowajior 1 Til OOLBY SYSTEM | Twentieth Century Fo» BAD NEWS BEARS IN BREAKING TRAINING pg 7:40-9:40 WEST Skyway Twin EAST LAST HOU^fEpWrf PLUS SCHOOL THAT COULDN’T SCREAM ROLLING THUNDER PLUS SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS Gibson Discount Center 1420 Texas Avenue WALLET SIZE COLOR PORTRAITS 994 Extra charge for GROUPS MSC CAMERA COMMITTEE PRESENTS 8X10 COLOR PRINTS OF BONFIRE ’77 $2.50 BEFORE NOV. 25 $3.50 AFTER NOV. 25 PRE-BONFIRE SALES NOV. 17-23 11X14 $6.00 16X20 $12.00 ADULTS $3.00 Child $l .50 (4-I 4) ADULTS $2.00 before 5:00pm FRIDAY "EMMANUELLE,The OULU ABC INTERSTATE THEATRES . A KTAM RADIO PRESENT Sat also $1.25 of a Woman" (X) xirniiTxxixiiiiirrxTiii MAT "T reasure IIIIIll NEE! Fri-Sun All Seats $7 Island" (G) I:00.2:30 ONLY mui I I HI it ITT from dirty toilet seats or infected door knobs are just that — tales. The treatment for both gonorrhea and syphilis is penicillin, taken in large doses. At one time in recent history, a quirk of fate almost eradi cated both. Immediately following the discovery of penicillin nearly every infectious condition was treated with it and many persons who never knew they had VD were cured accidently. Then bacteria be came resistant to the antibiotic, pa tients developed allergies to it, and other antibiotics came into being, says Dr. Clyde Caperton, a Bryan dermatologist. At that time gonorrhea and syphilis began a triumphal resurgence. Today, venereal diseases are among the nation’s most frequently occurring illnesses, some reaching epidemic numbers throughout the United States. “VD — Answers to the most frequently asked questions about venereal disease” consistently ranks VD ahead of mumps, rubella and hepatitis. In Texas, GC ranks second and syphilis third in infec tious diseases. But does that make them epidemic? Possibly. “How many cases constitute an epidemic?” asks Dr. Leonard Pon der, president of the Venereal Dis ease Action Council of Texas and coordinator of Allied Health Careers at Texas A&M University. “Even if we have two cases, we shouldn’t,” he says. It’s a problem that should not exist, here or anywhere. Ponder, along with authorities from the American Medical Associa tion and the Texas Department of Health, believes education can the student health service, says stu dents are welcome to come to the center for diagnostic cultures for gonorrhea or serologic blood tests for syphilis and then treatment if needed. He confirms VD exists on the campus, adding that all cases are treated in strict confidence. “We see more gonorrhea than syphilis,” says Goswick, adding there have been a few cases of other forms besides the leading two, but none of the newer one known as Herpes Simplex. The director says students are eli gible for services at the County Health Unit if they would rather go there. Mcllhaney says several stu dents have come during the last few months. Both doctors say the exam ination and diagnosis are relatively painless, and treatment only a little inconvenient. They also stress that testing and treatment are free at each facility. So why don’t people come for ward? Symptoms often last only four to five days, going away spontane ously and are unrecognized as a threat. Victims might notice a urethral or vaginal discharge or a slight rash, but recover quickly and forget it. And health officials say the old so cial stigmas of disgrace and unc leanness make some hesitant to seek diagnosis. Workers at the Brazos County Health Unit report the increase in student patients came about after they abandoned the system of cal ling them by name and adopted a number code instead. As pe® come into the unit they are number and their nameisnen spoken in the waiting area. Another reason is simply thatps L is a basic fear and everyone trit:. ot preclut avoid as much as possible. Bulu; reek, say: do not realize how much pain luj oach Bun ahead in four, five or even20ytu enter of t: for VD is no minor illness. Itcau blindness, sterility, insanity, set; ivice in on arthritis, paralysis and heart 4 age. Many persons are rendtn hopeless, helpless cripples as 20 years after having untreated!! sed it on a In addition, both syphilis« istSunday Immediately following l|| discovery of penicillin m every infectious conditionirm treated with it and manj/po. sons who never knew they hi VD were cured accidently, gonorrhea cause infant deformation or death. -Unit housk irooski” p “One tin The Seat be pi bumeroos The Seal mlident ol The “bui om a pun Re Someboc ,o, Eman Doctors emphasize all the ah ‘ ouser conditions can be prevented! inning bar treatment. Primary and secoint fence. lh syphilis’ victims are medicated! e closing two weeks; the third stage tales!: Ian thu weeks or longer, says Mclll«! i ne( l' adding that damage develotilhenfro. 1 Worth Arli the c through the years can neverht paired. It’s a big price to. cause of not wanting to take sluts eephons swallow pills. For these reasons VD goesa feerr 606 ] ■ yilTA. _ o despite the wonder drugs of 11 150th. S andard of Venereal diseases are among the nation’s most frequently occurring illness. They are consistently ranked ahead of mumps, rubella and hepatitis. help. Therefore, the coordinator has written a teaching and resource guide for use in schools throughout the state. A more solid solution to the prob lem is early treatment. If medication had been around during the first syphilis epidemic in Europe in 1530 (believed to have been started by Columbus’ return ing crew), history might have been changed. And if today’s medication is put to use properly, epidemics in this gen eration could be avoided. After all, VD treatment is available free from state agencies, county agencies and local facilities like the Texas A&M University health center. Dr. Claude Goswick, director of Campus activities Friday Aggie Players, “Waiting for Godet, 8 p.m.. Rudder Forum Aggie Cinema, “Marathon Man,” 8 p.m. and “The Graduate, 12 midnight, Budder Theater 8 p.m., 201 MSC Aggie Cinema, “Marathoi Man,” 8 p.m ditorium The last arks may slaught- achdown with onl; nfro has ison, nee icord set Rudder A<it nneth Bi SMU’s Ti Saturday Aggie Allemanders Square Dance, guest caller Kevin Bacon, Sunday Recreation and Parks, “Wd men in Recreation, 12noonlo: p.m., 230 MSC Aggie Cinema, ‘Little Man, 2 p.m., Rudder Theater Seminar scheduled for women m rec Some of Smokey the Bear’s friends are coming to Texas A&M to discuss current career opportunities STARSHIP CW'vALw— SHOPS Manor East Mall 822-2092 POOH’S The PARK Amusement Center 1907 Texas-C.S. 693-5737 and problems, especially ing women. A luncheon-seminar on “Woi in Recreation, ” sponsored by Recreation and Parks Departf is set for noon to 5 p.m. Suntb Rm. 230 of the Memorial^ Center. Cost is $1.50. M pOMMI ^Mr.Sattiy The Best Pizza in Town (Honest) Who say s you can't have a fast lunch and still enjoy intimate booths, draft beer, cozy atmosphere and old-time movies? We Don't! LUNCH SPECIAL Monday-Friday • Lunch Special also navailable at our ^pizza-mat. c° V TTry our new frozen yogurt, 98% fat free. A ^100% natural product, no chemical addi tions, flavorings or coloring agents are used. It's a health food, a dieter's dream & fa fantastic dessert. And for later on . . . Happy Hour with Drinks-2-For-l Monday-Thursday 4:30-6 p.m. Live Entertainment Friday & Saturday Nights Call Ahead . WeTl Have it Ready 846-4809 FOR ORDERS TO GO 5 P.M. TILL-? VISIT THE PIZZA-MAT 846-4890 $2.50 E $3.50 PRE-E “Any woman interested in bed ing a professional can come, Deb Cleland, a senior in partment. "Men should come because they will deal with woi when they get out. Speakers include represental from the Interior Department Washington, D.C., several naS parks and the agencies which with them. Topics range from the boy syndrome" and howtofigll women as managers and the (ti of women in the field and force. Marriage and-or career, need for leisure and discriminst will also be topics for panel fc WfitC sion and smaller group discuss* For Battalion Classified Call 845-2611 Winne Import Beer 26 Brands Singles 6-packs and Cases thin five eff erators ei ches in at ranks season id Levia Little I game eds at lei game inst Ark iC top t son. CO B s $100 'hone # “god’s own drunk’’ 4-7 Daily AH Longnecks 35c - 45c It 3600 S. COLLEGE • BRYAN, TEX. • (713)846-3306 HAMBURGERS - 75c CHEESEBURGERS - 85c DOUBLE MEAT/CHEESE - $1.25 (Off