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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1983)
t s L :f Page 14/The Battalion/Wednesday, November 23, 1983 $6 million awarded in Oraflex lawsuit United Press International COLUMBUS, Ga. — A feder al court jury awarded $6 million in damages Monday to a man who claimed his elderly mother died of side effects from Oraf lex, a controversial arthritis drug manufactured by Eli Lilly Co. The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical firm said it would appeal the case. Clarence Borom of Waverly Hall, Ga., claimed in a $100 mil lion suit that his 81-year-old mother, Trippe Jones, died as a result of taking the drug. The suit was the first of about 100 involving Oraflex, which Lilly removed from the market Give her a kiss and a Krugerrand. For all the golden moments she's given you There’s never been a better reason—a better season!—for giving her a Krugerrand pendant. Come see our whole glittering collection of Krugerrand jewelry. We have rings and cuff links for men too. Stop in today. Before the price of gold goes higher, wish all the special people on your Christmas list a merry Krugerrand! KRUQERRANP GOLD COINS The world's best way to own gala. TEXAS coin 404 University Dr. 3202 A Texas College Station Bryan across from El Chico 846-8905 779-7662 last summer following the death of several people who used the drug. Borom’s attorneys accused Lilly of improper development, manufacture and marketing of the drug. They said Irish physi cian Hugh Taggart reported in a 1982 article in the British Medical Journal that five of his elderly patients taking Oralfex had died of kidney failure. They said Lilly was aware of the side effects Oraflex had on some patients and had ignored Taggart’s report until it became public. Company officials, however, maintained they acted respons ibly and hid nothing from physi cians or the Food and Drug Administration. Lilly attorney John Shafer said Jones had other medical problems that caused her death. “I think the real truth of the matter is we don’t know what caused this lady to die,” he told the jury in closing arguments. Lilly spokesman Ed Davis suggested thejury may not have understood some of the medical and technical testimony and said he was confident the award would be overturned. Borom said he was pleased with the verdict. But his attor ney, Neal Pope, said he would have liked a larger award. In Washington, the Ralph Nader-founded Public Citizen Health Research Group said in a statement: “Hundreds of people have died as a result of Lilly’s negligence in promoting the arthritis drug Oraflex as safer and more effective than the company knew it was. “For those who believe in the free enterprise system,” it said, “this important verdict shows that companies must bear all the costs rather than just reaping the profits of doing business.” The U.S. District Court jury deliberated the case briefly Fri day, recessed for the weekend, and returned its verdict shortly after noon Monday. saitisiiP The FDA approved use of Oraflex in the United States in 1982. - ''' .. : '-" ■ u ^ f ; , • ' 'niled Pre 1ST IN - Jicanvilk In invesi he par |use of Igriniliu li emplo G I Fish Restaurant ^ Elephant bug K emplo idler mg Ijim Mai G SOI Wellborn Road College Station “A True Dining Experience In A Relaxed Atmosphere' 1 G Fish Richards AEX IVew Happy Hour Dinners Served Mon-Fri 4:30-6:30 p.an. 65.95 Served with a complimentary glass of wine % Thanksgiving Buffet with all the trimmings 1:30-3 p.na. Thursday JVov. 23 $10.95 Open early at 2:30 after Texas Game Reservations call 096-4119 G Unidentified elephant walkers ride off in an easily identified “Elephant Bug” Tuesday. Seniors gathered Tuesday for the traditional Mark Spicer. Baiulioif I llse |g Fund , . , . , , . , Bed sole which is held the ritual of Elephant Walk, I uesday before the Texas A&M-University of Texas football game. ‘Day After’ sparks concern Turkey-Day Specials (Specials good tnru Saturday) Saturday) WILD TURKEY 101 Ken. St. Bourbon $t^99 750ML SEAGRAM'S 80° Am. Blend $ 1_0" 1.75 lit SEAGRAMS VO 80° Canadian 16" i .75 lit McCormick Vodka 80°Vodka $/299 Bols Liqueurs Amaretto, Triple sec. Peppermint Schnopps 60 1.75 lit $499 750ML each // REMEMBER, White Wine with Turkey Black Tower rr Remy Pannier Blanc de France $^29 $^99 JL 750ML or 1 .51t $^79 750ML or $Ty69 ^ .Slit D 2 liter Heineken Beer $>749 99 12-Pak-12oz hot. College Station- 1503 University Dr (Next to Ramada Inn) dtENfiffiLre) \ » >TiQUOR> 846-1860 Bryan-3601 E. 29th St (1 blk. south of high school) 846-0070 United Press International LAWRENCE, Kan. — Resi dents of a scenic Kansas college town thrust into agony of a fic tional nuclear blast in the televi sion movie “The Day After” gathered Monday in a church to plead for nuclear disarmament. About 200 people met at Ply mouth Congregational Church to confront their emotions after watching the nationwide televi sion event. Participants included senior citizens, college students and children — many of whom greeted friends and acquaint ances as though they had just lived through a real-life disaster. The movie, aired Sunday night, dramatized a nightmarish nuclear strike on Kansas City, Mo., and its effects on Lawr ence, 38 miles to the west. The destruction of homes, schools and farms depicted in the movie was too close for com fort, residents said. Senior Pastor Homer Hen derson told those at the town meeting that “today the eyes and the ears of the world are upon Lawrence, Kansas. “I pray that we show the world a microcosm of peace,” Henderson said. Alan Hanson of Lawrence took issue with Rep. Jim Slat tery, D-Kan., who attended the meeting. Slattery endorsed a principle of “peace through said. “I would suggest that very simply, as (astronomer) Carl Sagan pul it on TV last night, the only way to get rid of nuclear weapons is to get rid of nuclear weapons,” Hanson said. Jack Bremer of Lawrence, a minister who works at the Uni versity of Kansas, said a moral and spiritual crisis underlaid the nuclear arms race. “I’m concerned about die cur rent tendency to absolutize the evil in the Soviet Union and the good of the United States that the current administration sees,” Bremer said. This is an unrealistic belief, strength.” A unilateral disarma- Bremer said, and delays nego- menl was impossible, Slattery nations for arms reductions. Bremer quoted forme fense Secretary Robert^ mara, who said SU.OOOchiil die throughout the world I day because nations spendi million annually “in the ness of this arms race." Bremer’s comments we: ten upted often by applait Weapons money shodcl stead be used foralilheal children, said a motl#rcair| .i baby and liolding tliete:! another child: “I think it’s very impo™ us to be nurturing comm in our hearts," said Ruit| wart. “When I think of mothers, I think of motla Russia who also don’t want! children killed.’ ALCOA invests to protect jobs Now P 5 segment I foetal tape i DS-11 List United Press International ALCOA, Tenn. — The Alu minum Company of America announced Tuesday it will in vest $250 million over the next eight years to upgrade its Ten nessee plant with new technolo gy and protect 4,100 of “the world’s best-paying industrial jobs.” Fred Fetterolf, president of the Pittsburgh-based aluminum manufacturer, said the decision to spend the money in Tennes- [ | jm ■ - "Jf: For the Cut That Falls Jnto Place faturally Full Salon Service for Men and Women Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Also Late by Appt. see came despite strained labor relations that resulted in a strike in 1978 by members of the Un ited Steelworkers of America. “What we’re doing here is absolutely essential if we’re going to keep aluminum in the marketplace,” Fetterolf said. The sprawling Alcoa plant for 70 years has been a fixture in this town, situated in the footh ills of the Great Smoky Moun tains. Some 4,100 people work at the plant with another 3,500 ALCOA retirees living in the area. But company officials just four years ago were faced with shutting the facility down be cause its was too old, “fun damentally not competitive,” and workers and managers were on bad terms, Fetterolf said. “We now have a cooperative workforce that has improved productivity in the last few years,” Fetterolf said. “There was a time when they (workers and managers) stopped calling each other names and started working together.” Gov. Lamar Alexander, a na tive oflhe area who said he used to work summers at the ALCOA plant while a voungster.sai $i 5250 million investmemti| about half of the new ii investments the state res during a typical year. “T hese are 4,000 of ^ world's best paying inditf | jobs,” Alexander said. "Tim ’erybody"? > urryJ At 1 mey Won here are jobs even Fettero 11 said most oil money will be spent on century” equipment tom facture aluminum ofafij L . D quality at a lower price. Ht hfit iGn the investment will alio* [h)j§ Qg< company to remain a (low I force in the market fori ppo! Il rolled aluminum. CollBpS He said the investment | not create any new jobs,bin preserve die ones already! islence. “To spend this magM dollars here is a demonsiri of a corporate commitment! absolutely competitive in lb 1 verage container sheeta mon alloy sheet market,"fH olf said. <° Texas AKH Sports C&r Club PreseNT* O A, ' 'hbf. Cr V Low Pushbut Metal Ta Seperate Loudnes XR-55 Li- beat the hell OUT OF *.11/ . ' ".i* .