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
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Gibson Discount Center
1420 Texas Avenue
WALLET SIZE
COLOR PORTRAITS
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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
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Sat also $1.25 of a Woman" (X)
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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,
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Monday-Friday
• Lunch Special also
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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
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Singles
6-packs
and Cases
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HAMBURGERS - 75c
CHEESEBURGERS - 85c
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