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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1984)
Anne Murray concert gets a thumbs up See page 4 Aggie Olymipics scheduled Sunday See page 5 Ark. beats Tech, now 13-1 in SWC See page 11 VI Texas A&M ^ ^ A The Battalion iool singles! 83 SO NaSl° 178 No. 101 CiSPS 0453110 14 pages loubles; [union DavjJ Serving the University community College Station, Texas Thursday, February 23, 1984 Israeli planes hit alestinian bases hose Tex colleges lie standing SWC is ona inis confer! i. Also, tennis hen tided playerl be 19831 s champioi rench, Bel Champio: : 1983 is probably] e” in Texi the NetherJ e interna ) the lean or Wimble-1 erlands na| on. ent find fori from Flor-I Dean Gold-1 iked in the tssociation. final 32 at Champion-] ' these fiv< h veterans told Kettel Till - thef > player- ood chance lation’s n in thi nee won' her for thi ' four SWI ; the top h is seasonis| U.S. officials said they were near isas, ere rankedl on poll, play dual nar Smittil 1:30 p.tnj ^est Texaif gainst Mc-I the Aggies Austin: jet Club ini United Press International jlEIRUT, Lebanon — Israeli war planes bombed suspected Palestinian uerrilla bases east of Beirut Thurs- [ay as leaders of President Amin emayel’s own Christian communit Jirged him to honor the May iccord with Israel. The Israeli fighter jets struck near he mountain town of Bhamdoun, lituated in the Druze Moslem rebel- ontrolled mountains 12 miles east of eirut — in their third such air strike iftve days. Referring to suspected Palestinian ositions in the area, Israel said the [ttacks were aimed at “terrorist bases ad headquarters” and an artillery sition. Syrian radio reported “sev- [ralcasualties among the civilians.” “All Israeli planes returned safely i base,” the military command said lan announcement from Tel Aviv. With the fighting between the re els of west Beirut and the army in ast Beirut only a mile away, Leb- nesearmy units of the pro-rebel 6th Brigade moved along the main shop- street of the western half of the apital. Their movements, mainly to pro- |ide guards around government tildings and to be a presence on the Jtreets, also included replacing Shiite [ioslem militiamen at checkpoints near the U.S.-controlled Beirut air- agreement on the army, apparently members of the 6th Brigade, taking over the Marine compound at Beirut airport once the U.S. Marine evacua tion from Lebanon was completed. The pullout began Tuesday. While the fighting continued, Gemayel faced more pressure from members of his own Christian com munity not to make concessions de manded for peace by Syria and Syr ia’s Lebanese rebel allies. Fadi Frem, leader of the 10,000- man Christian militia, warned that Christian opposition will be “ignited” if Gemayel cancels the troop withdra wal accord he reached with Israel last May 17. The accord laid the basis for nor mal Israeli-Lebanese relations in re turn for an Israeli promise to with draw fom south Lebanon. It also provided for arrangements to ensure security for Israel’s northern border. The militia has been under the po litical influence of the Phalange Party, led by Pierre Gemayel, the president’s father, but Frem’s atti tude about abrogating the treaty with Israel suggested a rift in the Chris tian movement. Chamoun has harshly criticized Gemayel for reports he was willing to abrogate the May 17 accord, calling it a “surrender” to Syria. But after the meeting, the National News Agency reported Chamoun said “there were no differences.” ’ ^ ' ■ Armchair pilots Photo by BILL HUGHES John Courand, a biochemistry/premed major from San Antonio, and Bob Blakely, a math professor, check out the cockpit of an F-16 Fighting Falcon. The jet was parked in the parking lot of the Military Sciences Bldg, as part of an “Air Force awareness” promotion. lavid’s last days reportedly happy Doctors review bubble boy’s death ? avored itches, bull be consid-| te Corpu •urnamentl the top 2l| n will king foii hristi Invi-| “ It’s ent in tli than th ■ the teai the oth beat a to| they ma)| just th opponent] ;uff United Press International JlOUSTON — David, America’s 12- ■ear-old “bubble” boy, joked in his fi- J waking hours and winked a good ie before apparent complications om an experimental attempted lure killed him, a doctor said Thurs- lay. Dr. William T. Shearer, speaking [trough tears, said David asked him tone point Wednesday morning to [emove intravenous tubes so he go home. David died about 11 )urs later. With David “slipping fast,” the de- sion was made to place him on a spirator and give him a muscle re- mt to allow the machine to take 'er his breathing. Before that occurred, Shearer id “He winked at me. That was the stthing he communicated.” Shearer said the boy, who lived nil 16 days ago in germ-free isolat es separated from the outside world plastic, knew he was dying. He said something to the effect here we have all these tubes and all these tests, and nothing is work ing, and I’m tired. Why don’t we just pull all these tubes out and let me go home,” Shearer said. His death and the subsequent au topsy, Shearer said, was more signifi cant to medical history than David’s life shielded from germs that his body could not fight. The immediate cause of death was heart failure, but an autopsy sur prised doctors by revealing the heart failure was caused by an overgrowth of disease-fighting cells which ate at his lungs, spleen and intestines. “David’s death was as unique as his life. The findings were totally unex pected and they consisted of B-cell proliferation. There were multiple ulcerations throughout his gastroin testinal tract,” Shearer said. Cancer has not been ruled out as a cause of the growths. Additional tests were scheduled. Combined Immune Deficiency, whose last name has never been re vealed, spoke with his family early Wednesday before the respirator was inserted, Shearer said. “David’s last conscious moments were with his family, and at that time he was given the last sacraments of his faith,” Shearer said. David’s parents were in seclusion. Shearer said they were holding up well and had not waivered from their decision to authorize an experimen tal bone marrow transplant Oct. 21 because they believed it gave their son a chance to live outside the bub bles. Despite touching his mother’s hand and receiving a kiss Feb. 7 for the first and only time when he was removed from the bubble for treat ment, David never got to walk bare foot on the grass outside the windows of his house — his often repeated wish. The longest lived victim of Severe David was born Sept. 21, 1971 into an isolator crib and did not leave a sterilized environment his first 12 years because he was born without ability to fight infection. In the transplant, doctors took 2 ounces of bone marrow cells from his 15-year-old sister Katherine and in jected them into David’s bloods tream, hoping they would migrate to David’s bones and set up a disease- fighting defense. Shearer told the news conference there was no evidence the transplant ever began to work. David’s bubbles at home and at Texas Children’s Hospital will now be dismantled and never used again. Shearer said. “We have no need for them in medicine. The day is long gone when we place children in bubbles,” Shearer said. Doctors did not have enough in formation in 1971 to think they could counter Severe Combined Im mune Deficiency Syndrome. David was born into a sterile iso lator because an older brother had died of SCID at 7 months. When he was 6 he walked around in a “space suit” fashioned by NASA, but he quickly outgrew it. “David was a happy boy,” Shearer said. “He was ready for problems, but he tended to hide his feelings. Whatever the situation was in the last few days, he made it easy for his doc tors.” David’s parents and other relatives were near him at death. “The parents don’t regret the deci sion. They feel it was the right deci sion at the time,” Shearer said. They knew that if he was to live a normal life he had to come out of the bubble, doctors have said. Baylor College of Medicine spokeswoman Susannah Moore Grif fin said private arrangements were being made for David’s funeral. David’s treatment was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health. At his death, the cost was estimated at $1.1 million. Marines awaiting settlement United Press International BEIRUT — The commander of U.S. forces in Lebanon said Thursday that Marine combat troops would not leave their positions and ammunition stockpiles until an agreement is reached with the Lebanese army on which units will replace them. “We would not go off and vacate the premises,” Brig. Gen. James Joy told reporters. “We’re confident we will have an agreement. We think we have an agreement now.” Thursday was the third day of the Marine evacuation from Beirut for support personnel and equipment, military officials said. Combat troops remained in position onshore. Joy said more negotiations on the handover were planned for today, including discussions on the timeta ble for the turnover. “We’re not in any type of panic operation,” Joy said. “It’s being accomplished in a very orderly process.” The Marine compound will be turned over to “elements of the Leb anese armed forces that will have re sponsibility for security at the air- port,” Joy said. He refused to elaborate, but the Lebanese army’s 6th Brigade, which is acceptable to the anti-government forces, began moving into the gen eral area Wednesday. The 6th Brigade, commanded by a Shiite Moslem, refused to fight anti government militias during the rebel uprising Feb. 6 and abandoned many of their positions in west Beirut. Joy said the U.S. command had re ceived “assurances” from various fac tions that the Marines would not be attacked during their withdrawal. Military officials said the Marines will leave behind a stockpile of am munition for the Lebanese troops who will take over the American compound near Beirut Airport. “We’ll be leaving our spare ammo,” said logistics officer Lt. Col. Charles Rinehart of Jacksonville, N.C., as wave after wave of Sea Knight and Sea Stallion helicopters ferried equipment and supplies from Marine headquarters to U.S. ships offshore. The Marines plan to leave behind spare 105mm shells for the Lebanese army’s U.S.-made M-48-A5 tanks and ammunition for its American- made M-16 rifles. The incoming Lebanese forces also will take advantage of security improvements that the U.S. troops made on the sprawling airport com plex after the suicide car bombing that killed 241 U.S. servicemen last September. The Marines will not dismantle their heavily fortified bunkers or the protective earthen mounds, barbed wire, and 7,500-pound concrete blocks called “dragon’s teeth” that seal the compound off. have! shforit | ho ke ore< ■finally I DUt iry having i emocrats criticize each other, feagan 5 days before primary Menu - tie, i! United Press International & TER,NH - ~ eight ided I** 1( i presidential candidates ‘e da!f r K S f ThurS(ia y in a debate in* ^ ore the country’s first ieir tonal! the >'. v y er e careful to save ffagan ^ esl cri ticism for President li4 d for ate ’ which ,ikel y wil1 be Cre dni SOme of the candidates Attests at p00rl y i n tbe party’s b.eS e ”, 0 3. k0 , nthet ° ne of tour u 1 think it is fun to nsaid. ,ences ,” George McGov- !n - GarVlU aUackec i anyone,” said Wby ma n art ’ r ecbo ing the theme ^ssion of y H fr the candidates that , g san attack tferences 15 not al- Ssiona! hS U j 0uld not avoid an ddebate c b dunn g the 90-min- I r'!! 0rne nVS ) e n rs Ored by ^ LeagUe [Ohio Sen it , wwi n „ • ,’ij ofln tdenn, whose poor camnai he ^° Wa caucuses has left " ‘Rn scrambling, criticized Walter Mondale’s labor support. Glenn acknowledged that he sought the endorsement of the pow erful AFL-CIO, but said “I was not willing to make the big promises that he (Mondale) made.” “I don’t think we can go before the American people, and expect to win in November, by overpromising, Glenn said in taking a slap at the for mer vice president. South Carolina Sen. Ernest Hol- lings, sitting next to Glenn, said he has been pushing the need for fiscal responsibility. “I thought that J obn would do that in Iowa, but he flunked the test.” California Sen. Alan Cranston de fended the exchanges, saying “the testing that we do reveals each oth er’s strengths and weaknesses. Jesse Jackson told the audience at St. Anselms’s College that “we’re not fighting for unity, we’re fighting tor distinction.” The eight found some matters on which to agree, however. All said they would take some form of action to keep the Strait of Hormuz open if they were blocked by Iran, although each said that as president they would formulate policies to prevent such a thing from ocurring. “Those sea lanes must stay open,” Mondale said. “It is worth fighting for,” said Jackson. The candidates were trying to woo a sizable number of voters w ho have yet to make up their minds. At least 14 percent of New Hamp shire Democrats are still undecided, according to a poll released Thurs day night bv Boston television station WBZ. According to the survey of 500 Democrats, taken Wednesday, Mon dale went into the debate being fa vored by 32 percent of the electorate. Glenn, who had undisputed claim to second place for months, slipped into a tie with Han for the runner-up spot, with both drawing 15 percent. Several of the men who did not fare well in Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses have hinted they may drop out unless they do much better in New Hampshire. Cranston, Hollings, and former Gov. Reubin Askew of Florida, would have difficulty remaining in the race unless they stage a surprise in New Hampshire. George McGovern, who qualified Thursday for federal matching funds, and Jackson, both of whom are running shoestring campaigns to make a moral message to the party, appeared likely to stay in the race longer. The Boston television poll of 500 independent and Democratic New Hampshire voters found Hart pick ing up more ground and matching Glenn — 15 percent each. The poll, released Thursday, also showed Mondale with 32 percent; Jackson. 8 percent; Cranston, 4 per cent; McGovern, 3 percent; Hollings, 2 percent; and Askew, 1 percent. Fourteen percent were undecided. In Today’s Battalion Local • World record holder Carl Lewis says he will submit to any steriod testing beacause he doesn’t use drugs while longjumping. • I exas A&M professor Will Worley will be one of the runners carrying the Olympic torch to the Summer Games. See story page 5. State • The prosecuting attorney in the Geter case is re signing to return to private pratice. See story page 7. • Henry Lee Lucas pinpoints the site of a double burial of twoo people he and his partner claimed to have killed. See story page 9.