E ow oxygen pressure cures is not clear
ologist William Fife might serious infections, sores and gan- Still, the University regai Js it as a rounding tissue, which sometimes veloping a non-explosive under-
THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1978
Page 3
not term the cures carried out in his
‘hyperbaric (high pressure oxygen)
lab as miracles. But some patients
who received the pressure chamber
treatments at Texas A&M Univer
sity are alive or in good health today
because of it. Modern science is still
baffled as to why.
m
■ Fife, associate dean of Texas
A&M’s College of Science, has
pioneered the use of high pressure
oxygen in arresting or curing certain
says its
products aren t
causing cavities
United Press International
' j|BATTLE CREEK, Mich.-The
pungent smells of corn syrup and
, malt assail the nostrils of visitors
who pass the statue of Tony the
Tiger and enter the 140-acre Kel-
s logg cereal company complex.
^ M ln t ^ ie da y s w hen Sugar Pops
were tops and Tony insisted Sugar
Frosted Flakes were G-R-R-R-E-
A-T, there was no particular reason
for the city’s biggest employer to
Borry about the effect of its com-
.. Hercials on young children.
V K Now, the Federal Trade Commis
sion wants to change all that.
)f B^he FTC is contemplating a ban
on cereal and candy commercials
° glmed at very young children and a
rt |uirement that advertisers of su-
^ B red P roducts Pay for public serv-
• ice announcements preaching good
nutrition and dental health.
>e ■ Tta proposal has raised quite a
stir in the cereal manufacturing cap
ital of the world.
B “We already take special care to
show milk being poured on our
j ■reals,” said Peggy Wollerman, a
public relations spokeswoman for
Bellogg, largest of the “Big Four
Bereal makers based in Battle
Kreek.
1 “We would have no problem with
1" a tag line like “brush after break-
Jy fast.”’
:e I Kellogg, which produces every-
"■ Biing from frozen pies in Pennsyl-
fljania to pizza in Australia and baby
^ I food in Brazil, puts most of its stock
s ‘ in cereal. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes is
)n big business.
grene cases that had discouraged
both patient and physician.
Untreated, these ailments could
have resulted in loss of limb or life
for the patients referred to the
unique University facility.
The white pressure chamber in
the lab swings open its hatch to re
ceive an average of three cases a
day, five days a week, year-round
with minimum time for holidays. All
patients come on a referral-only
basis from local doctors.
training facility for Texas A&M stu
dents even though doctors and pa
tients are happy to have it available
for medical treatments.
Although the chamber treatments
are administered to a variety of
afflictions from gangrene to carbon
monoxide poisoning and radiation
therapy sores, among the most
common are failing skin grafts and
osteomyelitis, an infectious inflam
matory disease of the bone. The lat
ter malady results in death of sur-
Passing fancy
A future Aggie athlete? This could be quite possible. Four-
year-old Kris Welch’s father is Bruce Welch, a former offen
sive guard on the Texas Aggie football team. Kris may be
planning to become a quarterback as he demonstrates great
passing ability with his rock throwing.
May the Energy
be with You
causes a painful abscess.
Scientists are still puzzled as to
why the delicate balance of just the
right amount of oxygen works, but
they know it does.
Discovering what makes it work is
one of the next research projects,
says Fife, although he hastens to
point out that no experiments are
conducted on the steady stream of
patients treated here.
The chamber is used as an addi
tion to regular treatment and is an
alternative when other therapy does
not seem to work alone.
Some of the life-saving cures
come about in only a few days.
Others take months. Numerous
times, the patients’ arms or legs are
saved from amputation. There are
many diseases, however, which are.
not helped at all by the hyperbaric
treatment.
Medical authorities are interested
in the technique and the Air Force
School of Aerospace Medicine in
San Antonio is one of the most act
ive centers for such treatment. Fife
works in conjunction with them and
plans are being considered to bring
the two programs even closer to
gether. Some of the Air Force
physicians are already visiting
members of Texas A&M’s graduate
faculty.
But medical treatment is just one
phase of the hyperbaric ground bro
ken here by Fife.
He has been instrumental in de-
water breathing mixture called hy-
drox, short for hydrogen and oxy
gen. The mix allows divers to go
deeper and stay longer.
Student research projects con
ducted with animals also increase
man’s knowledge of hyperbarics.
One of the current projects indi
cates that it may be harmful for the
unborn child if pregnant women go
underwater diving or are subjected
to rapid decompression that some
times occurs in space travel.
One of the features of the Texas
A&M hyperbaric lab is that it serves
at once as a medical, research and
teaching tool.
Graduate students are given di
rect responsibility for operating the
chamber. Fife teaches classes in
treating underwater diving acci
dents (including the “bends”) and
on handling patients taking hyper
baric therapy.
The students, nearly all of whom
have some scuba diving experience,
come from several disciplines on
campus — marine resources man
agement, ocean engineering,
oceanography, underwater archeol
ogy and biology.
Since they must pop in and out of
the pressure chamber during their
education, Fife insists the students
remain in top physical condition.
So once a week, they close down
shop at the end of tbe evening’s
work and head for the campus pool
for late night swimming exercises.
Something
Special
Wednesday Only
fupTnamba
Eddie Dominguez '66
Joe Arciniega '74
y Susie Williams
If you want the real
thing, not frozen or
canned — We call It
"Mexican Food
Supreme.”
Dallas location:
3071 Northwest Hwy
352-8570
r ^Carg6s fa fffoc/e
SPRING FEVER! We ve got it' And we re making
a big show of it! We re burning up with the fever
of Spring, so we re making electrifying reductions
on sizzling fashion items.. 1/3 to 1/2 off silky new
dresses!, hot items for a runaway week-end, like
tops, pants, skirts and sets! swinging accessories
. . .so put on your dancing shoes and come oh'over
Margo s has got the fever Catch it
Today it can be seen at your favorite neignOornood location
1 * VJ
\ orv_*
MANOR EAST MALL
TO ALL SPRING COLLEGE GRADUATES:
BEAL FORD ANNOUNCES . ..
"THE GRADUATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM"
/
If you are graduating from college in May and would like to have
a new car for that special event, you don't have to wait any longer.
With our "Graduate Assistance Program" you can purchase the car
of your choice now and defer any monthly payment for 120 days.
All that is required is a minimum down payment with approved
credit and proof of a bonafide job contract beginning no later than
90 days from the date of purchase.
The "Graduate Assistance Program" is designed to give you help
when you need it most.
P.S. For most cases, payments can be designed to fit your specific
needs.
For "Graduate Assistance Program" details see the courteous
sales people at . . .
FORD
MERCURY
LI NCOLN
bed ford
1309 TEXAS AVENUE 823-0044