the

Record^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

August 1, 1972Vol. XXIV, No. 16

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

Dr. Eugene A. ConfreyNamed to New PositionIn Manpower Bureau

Dr. Eugene A. Confrey has been'appointed associate director forPolicy Studies, Bureau of HealthManpower Education.

Since 1969 he has been associatedirector for Program Planning andEvaluation; he will continue to'supervise that office until a suc-cessor is appointed.

Dr. Confrey will be concernedwith policy analysis, including theimpact of socioeconomic, scientific,technological and other develop-ments affecting the supply, distri-bution, and utilization of the Na-tion's manpower resources.

In 1966, when he was Director,* Division of Research Grants, he re-

ceived the DHEW Superior ServiceAward.Writes on Variety of Subjects

Dr. Confrey assisted in planningthe establishment of the Divisionof Manpower Intelligence, BHME,

"when it was formed in 1970.Dr. Confrey is the editor of a

' textbook, Administration of Com-munity Health Services, and haspublished articles on medical ethics,science administration, gerontology,and statistics. He has also lecturedextensively at American universi-*ties.

Patients Enroll in Study to Evaluate NewMethods of Treating Diabetic Retinopathy

Dr. Confrey was in on the planningstages of the Division of ManpowerIntelligence. When he was with DRG,he received the DHEW Superior ServiceAward. He is the author of a numberof articles, and has lectured at U.S.universities.

Participants in the Cooperative Diabetic Retinopathy Study are being treatedwith either the argon laser, xenon arc, or a combination of the two. A model(I) receives treatment with the argon laser which generates a fine but intenseblue-green beam of light. Another "patient" (r) is treated with white light fromthe xenon arc photocoagulafor.

Patients are now being enrolled in a nationwide cooperative researchstudy to evaluate new methods of treating diabetic retinopathy—a pro-gressive disorder of the blood vessels of the retina stemming from di-abetes, and a leading cause ofblindness in this country.

Supported by grants from theNational Eye Institute, the 10-yearstudy will eventually involve over1,800 patients at 16 clinical centersacross the country.

Eight centers are now participat-ing. An additional seven will beginoperation this fall.

The mechanism underlying dia-betic retinopathy is unknown, butthe condition seems to involve pro-gressive impairment of the retinalcirculation.

The chief immediate causes ofblindness from this disease arebleeding into the vitreous (the clearjelly-like fluid which fills the pos-terior three-fourths of the eye),scar tissue formation, and detach-ment of the retina.

All of these conditions are usual-ly preceded by growth of newlyformed blood vessels along the in-ternal surface of the retina. It isfrom these vessels that hemor-rhages into the vitreous occur andit is at the sites of new vessels thatscar tissue forms.

Subsequent shrinkage of the scartissue and of the vitreous, to whichthe new vessels adhere, is the im-mediate cause of retinal detach-ment.

The primary objective of the co-

(See PATIENTS, Page 6)

2 Title Changes AnnouncedIn OD Staff Posts HeldBy Drs. Jacobs, Berliner

Two principal staff positions inthe Office of the Director, NIH,have been retitled.

Dr. Leon Jacobs, Assistant Di-rector for Collaborative Research,has been named Associate Directorfor Collaborative Research.

Dr. Jacobs maintains surveil-lance of the contracts program byestablishing guidelines for con-tracts regarding the way they areinitiated and reviewed.

He said that his office "makessure that the overall excellence ofNIH is extended into the contractprogram."

The collaborative effort has beenupgraded due to the increased rolethat contracts now play in the over-all NIH scientific operation.

In 1969, NIH awarded 43 con-tracts for $1.9 million. The FY1973 estimate exceeds $300 million.

In the second change, the post ofAssociate Director for Direct Re-search was redesignarted AssociateDirector for Inltramural Research.

Dr. Robert W. Berliner, who isNIH Deputy Director for Science,will continue to exercise the dutiesof this office on an "acting" basis.

Conference on IndustrialChemicals to EvaluateHuman Health Factors

A conference on how phthalateesters—substances used in plasticsto make them flexible—can affecthuman health will be sponsored bythe National Institute of Environ-mental Health Sciences, ResearchTriangle Park, N.C. The meetingwill be held in Pinehurst on Sept.6-7.

Conference participants will dis-cuss the history, chemistry, en-vironmental occurrence, human lev-els, pharmacology and toxicology,and biochemical actions of phthal-ate esters.

Other Government agencies, in-cluding the Environmental Protec-tion Agency and the Food andDrug Administration, are cooperat-ing with NIEHS in research todetermine the possible hazard toman from exposure to phthalateesters.

Phthalates belong to the class ofaromatic dicarboxylic esters which

(See CHEMICALS, Page 5)

American Health SchoolsAwarded Largest BlockOf Funds in U.S. History

The Bureau of Health ManpowerEducation announced that the larg-est block of Federal funds in theNation's history has been awardedto American health schools for theeducation of health professionals.

Grants and contracts of nearly$375 million have been awarded tothe Nation's schools of medicine,osteopathy, dentistry optometry,pharmacy, podiatry, veterinarymedicine, and nursing.

Funds have been allocated forprograms that include new schoolsof medicine, osteopathy and den-tistry, and schools in financial dis-tress.

Grants also have been given toencourage the training of familymedicine practitioners, and fortraining more effective teachers inhealth professions.

Special project grants and con-tracts were awarded to improvenurse training and for advancedtraining of professional nurses.

Page 2 August 1, 1972 THE NIH RECORD

IRecordPublished biweekly at Bethesda, Md., by the Publications and ReportsBranch, Office of Information, for the information of employees of theNational Institutes of Health, Department of Health, Education, andWelfare, and circulated by request to interested writers and to investi-gators in the field of biomedical and related research. The content isreprintable without permission. Pictures are available on request.The NIH Record reserves the right to make corrections, changes or dele-tions in submitted copy in conformity with the policies of the paper andthe Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

NIH Record Office Bldg. 3 1 , Rm. 2B-03. Phone 49-62125

Editor Frances W. Davis

Assistant Editor Fay Leviero

Staff Writer Ed Driscoll

Staff CorrespondentsADA, Robert Manning; BHME/OD, Florence Foelak; CC, Ann Bain-bridge; DAHM, Laura Mae Kress; DCRT, Joan Chase; DDH, CarolynNiblett; DMI, Marian R. Fox; DN, Evelyn Lazzari; DPHPE, EleanorWesolowski; DRG, Sue Meadows; DRR, Jerry Gordon; DRS, RobertKnickerbocker; FIC, Lois P. Meng; NCI, Elizabeth Shollenberger; NEI,Bonnie Friedman; NHLI, Bill Sanders; NIAID, Krin Larson; NIAMDD,Katie Biroberg; NICHD, Lloyd Blevins; NIDR, Sue Hannon; NIEHS,Elizabeth Y. James; NIGMS, Wanda Warddell; NINDS, Anne Tisiker;NLM, Roger Gilkeson.

Dorothy Lee and Winston Mani Retire From Gov't;North Carolinians Chalk Up 63 Yrs. Between Them

There's no point in holding retirement parties indoors when they can take placeamidst the sylvan groves of Research Triangle Park. Left: Mrs. Lee and herfather, Lloyd Yingling, collect the proper utensils for a typical American summerday picnic given to her by colleagues. Right: Mr. and Mrs. Mani enjoy thesame setting at his retirement picnic party attended by friends and co-workers.

Two members with a combinedtotal of 63 years in the FederalGovernment, recently retired fromthe National Institute of Environ-mental Health Sciences, ResearchTriangle Park, N.C.

They are Dorothy Lee, NIEHSpersonnel management specialistsince 1966, and Winston Mani, as-sistant executive officer.

Mrs. Lee retired on June 30 af-ter serving 33 years in Govern-ment. Mr. Mani retired July 7,after 30 years of Federal service.

Prior to joining NIEHS, Mrs.

Lee worked in private industryand was administrative officer withthe Corps of Engineers, Depart-ment of Defense.

During her Federal service shewas presented with a DHEW Meri-torious Service Award.

Mr. Mani, who joined NIEHS in1967, had served as personnel offi-cer for the National Institute ofNeurological Diseases and Blind-ness and the National Institute ofChild Health and Human Develop-ment.

Before coming to NIH, Mr. Mani

Dentist From DDH Pulls a Switch, TakesTop Honors in Public Affairs Grad. School

Dr. Charles 0 . Cranford, a dentist in the Division of Dental Health,BHME, has taken top scholastic honors in the first class to graduate tfrom the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the Universityof Texas in Austin. He received an M.P.A. degree.

Dr. Cranford, who attended theLBJ School under DDH's CareerDevelopment Program, undertookthe 2-year course because, as heexplains, "I wanted to break awayfrom the traditional postgraduateeducation most health professionalstake.

"And I knew we were entering anera in which important health carepolicy decisions would be made. Iwanted to project myself into that."

Speaks at Exercises

Dr. Cranford spoke at the exer-cises of the 11-member graduatingclass. He said that few profession-als are able to overcome the nar-row perspective that results fromhaving been trained in a single dis-cipline, and that broadening pers-pective is, in his view, what theLBJ School is about.

His own experience in the Schoolof Public Affairs included a sum-mer internship with Senator Ed-ward Kennedy's Senate HealthSubcommittee.

Dr. Cranford received his D.D.S.degree from the University ofTennessee, and then worked withthe Division of Indian Health inMontana, South Dakota, and Ari-

Dr. Cranford feels that his trainingwill enable him to enter " . . . an erain which important health care policydecisions would be made . . ."

worked at Division Headquarters,where he coordinated the DentalAuxiliary Utilization programs andlater served as acting chief, Man--. *power Development Branch.

zona.During 1962-63, he served as a

clinical dentist with the U.S. CoastGuard in Alameda, Calif. In 1964he became a clinical supervisor atthe Manpower Development Center,DDH, in Louisville.

In July 1968, Dr. Cranford

NIH Television, RadioProgram Schedule

RadioDISCUSSION: NIH

WGMS, AM—570—FM Stereo103.5—Friday, about 9:15 p.m.

August 4Dr. George Kitzes, NIAMDDSubject: Digestive Diseases (R)

August 11Dr. Ralph Frew, NIDRSubject: National Caries Pro-

gram (R)Interview takes place during in-

termission of Music Room.

had been personnel officer for PHSin Anchorage, Alaska, and Billings,Mont. He has also been with theVeterans Administration in Fargo,N.D., and represented Civil Servicein Sioux Falls, S.D.

This past June, Mr. Mani re-ceived a Special Service Citationfrom HEW Secretary Richardsonfor his contributions as a memberof a DHEW Personnel Task Force.

NIH Library Will OrientEmployees on Facilities

The NIH Library will give aseries of lectures to orient secre-taries, clerical assistants, labora-tory technicians, and staff assist- ,ants on the use of the Library.

However, NIH employees in Iother fields may also attend themeetings which will take about onehour.

Topics to be covered include theuse of the card catalog, how to lo-cate material and verify references,:'and how to utilize the photocopy Iand bibliographic services, includ- .ing computerized services such asMEDLARS and MEDLINE.

The first meeting will be held onTuesday, Aug. 8, at 1 p.m. in the - •Library, Bldg. 10, Room 1L19.

Employees who plan to attend-may register on or before Aug. 4with Constantine J. Gillespie, chief, 9Reference and Bibliographic Serv- Iices Section, Ext. 61156.

Dates for the other meetings willbe announced later. Institutes or rDivisions with specific require-ments may arrange for specialorientation meetings by calling Mr.Gillespie.

Schrogie Will Address MeetingDr. John Schrogie, NICHD, will]

address a meeting of the first Inter-national Medical and ScientificCongress, International PlannedParenthood Federation to be heldon Aug. 14-18 in Sydney, Australia.

THE NIH RECORD August 1, 1972 Page 3

Amer. Indian ExpositionSelects Dr. Blue SpruceAs Outstanding Indian'

Dr. George Blue Spruce, Jr., whoheads a Federal effort to increasethe number of minority physicians,dentists and other health profes-sionals, will be honored as the Out-standing Indian of the Year onAug. 14 at the opening of the

# American Indian Exposition atAnadarko, Okla.

Dr. Blue Spruce, director of theOffice of Health Manpower Oppor-

t tunity, BHME, was selected for hiswork in helping minority students.enter health careers.

A citation inscribed on buckskin• will be presented to him by Bob

Goombi, president of the AmericanIndian Exposition.

The weeklong exposition, featur-ing tribal games, dances, and artsand crafts, has been staged annual-ly in Anadarko, which claims thetitle, "Indian Capital of the Na-

' tion."Previously, he was a special as-

sistant to the BHME Director in. charge of an effort to increase the

proportion of American Indians in

LADC Comes Clean With the Brightest, International ResearchersWhitest Wash, What's More, It's Tested

' Dr. Blue Spruce has directed BHME'sminorities program since it waslaunched last December.

the health professions.The Nation's only full-blooded

• Indian dentist, Dr. Blue Spruce,a Pueblo, received a D.D.S. degreeat Creighton University, Omaha,and an M.P.H. degree at the Cali-fornia School of Public Health.

He entered the U.S. Public• Health Service in 1958. After serv-

ing in various parts of the country,"he joined the Division of DentalHealth.

Under the watchful eye of MiltonChannel, 400 pounds of dry clothescome flying out of one of the tumbledryers.

It won't come out looking that w a y -Eleanor Johnson gets a wrinkled labcoat ready for automatic pressing ina machine called "Air Lay."

The Clinical Center's Laundry and Dry Cleaning Section does morethan clean clothes—it sews, alters, mends, and makes purchases.

Section chief Alexander Davis explained that "we service almost everyemployee at NIH with something—a smock, a lab coat, lab towels—something."

Nurses' uniforms, physicians' andtechnicians' lab coats, operationsstaff uniforms, and patients' cleandaily linen are just some of theitems that LADC keeps clean andin working order.

The LADC facilities are inBuilding 13. Bags of laundry aredropped in 400 pound quantitiesthrough chutes on the second floorinto each of five washing machinesa floor below.

Starch, bleach, LADC's ownformula for detergent, sour (a liq-uid which neutralizes the deter-gent), and wash oil (fabric soft-ener) are all pumped from the sec-ond floor to the machines.

During the washing process,temperatures in the machines reachat least 175 degrees Fahrenheit—the point at which bacteria arekilled—and, said Mr. Davis, "Youcan rest assured that the clothesare clean and sterile."

Following a 45-minute wash cy-cle, the clothes are transferred tohuge dryers. A machine called Vi-bra-Steam automatically pressesnurses' uniforms and other cloth-ing made of synthetic fibers.

Sheets, pillowcases and other flatitems are ironed by rollers in a flatpress. The folding of towels andbath mats is simplified by an auto-matic towel folding machine.

Clean laundry is loaded intocarts for pickup by the PropertyManagement and TransportationSection and delivery by laundrypersonnel.

To make sure of the efficacy ofLADC's methods, tests are made atleast twice a year by an indepen-dent firm. For the test, a piece ofspecial cloth is treated like regular

wash and sent through the entirecleaning process 20 times.

It is then sent to a firm in Chi-cago to be analyzed. This deter-mines how clean LADC is gettingordinary wash and also how muchwear the cleaning process is put-ting on the clothes. Walter Jones,plant superintendent, said, "The re-port is always good."

The Dry Cleaning Section takescare of cleaning draperies, guards'uniforms, and patients' personalclothes.

Sews a Fine Seam

LADC's Linen Store has chargeof purchasing professional cloth-ing, draperies, and upholstery, andits sewing unit alters and mendsuniforms and makes hospital cloth-ing to fit outsized patients.

The unit once sewed togetherfour bathrobes in order to make onelarge enough to fit an overweightpatient.

Because much of the work in-volves long hours of standing andworking in hot areas, LADC's 48employees have a number ofbreaks. Also, an employee fundkeeps tea, juice, hot coffee, ice, andbowls of candy available to every-one.

New Hours Set for Beauty and

The beauty and barber shops inthe Clinical Center, B-l level, haveannounced new opening and clos-ing hours. The beauty shop is openon weekdays — except Tuesday —and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.On Tuesday it is open from 7 a.m.

Barber Shops in Clinical Center

to 7 p.m.The barber shop is open 7 a.m. to

5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.A monthly contest is being spon-

sored by both shops starting Aug.7. For further information contactthe shops.

Report on Drug ActivityAt Conference in West

Ten NIH scientists reported onthe development, mechanism of ac-tion, and administration of cancerdrugs at the Fifth InternationalCongress on Pharmacology, whichwas held on July 23-28 in SanFrancisco.

The meeting was sponsored bythe Federation of American So-cieties for Experimental Biologyand supported in part by a con-tract from the National CancerInstitute.

Conference discussions includedthe chemistry and biological activi-ty of various classes of drugs usedto treat human disease, and prob-lems involved in drug abuse.

The NIH scientists, along withother international investigators,spoke at the session on Funda-mental Approaches to CancerChemotherapy.

Dr. C. Gordon Zubrod, scientificdirector for Chemotherapy, NCI,and Dr. Gerhard Zbinden, Directorof the Institute for PathologicAnatomy, Univeritat Kantonsspi-tal, Zurich, Switzerland, served aschairmen and also participated inthis session.

Dr. Vincent T. Oliverio, associatescientific director for ExperimentalTherapeutics, NCI, and Dr. JeromeB. Block, associate director of theClinical Center, assisted in organ-izing the session, and took partin the discussions.

Other speakers from the NCIChemotherapy Program were Drs.Daniel S. Zaharko and Richard H.Adamson, Laboratory of ChemicalPharmacology; Michael D. Walker,acting chief, Baltimore Cancer Re-search Center; Robert C. Gallo,chief, Laboratory of Tumor CellBiology, and Philip S. Schein andVincent T. DeVita, acting chief,Medicine Branch.

Dr. Robert L. Dixon, chief, Path-ologic Physiology Branch, NationalInstitute of Environmental HealthSciences, also spoke.

Coretta Ford, surrounded by piles ofclean clothes awaiting her expert at-tention, sews a zipper into a jacket.

Helen R. Gichner Dies;DRG Grants Assistant

Helen Rombro Gichner, 51,grants assistant in the MicrobialChemistry Study Section, RGRB,died of an aneurysm, Sunday, July9, at Suburban Hospital.

She had been with DRG since1968.

From 1962 to 1966, she servedwith NIMH before she joined theDepartment of Housing and UrbanDevelopment.

Mrs. Gichner was a graduate ofGeorge Washington University.

She is survived by her husband,William, a daughter, Deborah Jo,and a son, Michael Carl.

Page 4 August 1, 1972 THE NIH RECORD

Some Anesthetics LowerBody's Ability to FightInfection, Study Shows

The effects of anesthetics on cul-tured white blood cells has beenunder study at the Clinical Center.According to a CC investigator col-laborating with researchers fromthe National Cancer Institute's Sur-gery Branch, certain general anes-thetics may lower the body's abilityto fight infection.

The study was conducted by Dr.Bruce F. Cullen, CC AnesthesiologyDepartment, and Drs. Paul Chre-tien and Frederick Sample, NCI.Results Explained

Results indicate that the anes-thetic, halothane, commonly usedduring surgery, inhibits lympho-cyte transformation. This transfor-mation is an important step in im-munity and occurs when these cellsreact to foreign substances; for in-stance, bacteria, in the body.

The investigators cultured humanlymphocytes in test tubes withPHA (phytohemagglutinin) a sub-stance that causes lymphocytetransformation and cell division.

Then the cells were incubated inair containing halothane in differ-ent concentrations for varyinglengths of time.

At the end of the incubation pe-riod, the investigators measuredcell growth and division by addinga radioactive molecule to the cul-tures to determine the amount ofsynthesis of the genetic material,DNA.

Dr. Cullen and his colleaguesfound that after 57 hours of expo-sure to air containing 0.5 percenthalothane, no inhibition of DNA

10-Week-Old Receives Thymus TransplantWith Aid of Lucite Diffusion Chamber

Dr. Cullen injects a sample of air con-taining halothane into a gas ehromato-graph to determine exact concentra-tion of the anesthetic. The results areautomatically printed out.

production resulted—as much la-belled DNA was observed in tubesof lymphocytes incubated in airwithout halothane which were usedas normal controls.

One percent halothane caused 16percent inhibition and 2 percenthalothane caused 43 percent inhi-bition. When lymphocytes were in-cubated in 2 percent halothane for

Dr. Steele needed special equipment that could separate small quantities ofwhite blood cells from body fluids. He designed this one-of-a-kind micro-assayharvester to collect cell suspensions. The tailor-made apparatus was used whenhe and associates recently transplanted a thymus into an infant born withoutthe small gland-like organ. Six hours after implantation, the 10-week-old infantdemonstrated immune reaction.

A thymus encased in a lucite diffusion chamber has been transplanted—possibly for the first time—into an infant born without the smallgland-like organ.

Before surgery, the 10-week-old infant had shown impaired immunefunction, but immune reactionswere noted as early as 6 hoursafter implantation of the thymusinto the abdominal wall.

The procedure was performed byDr. Russell W. Steele, a researchfellow in pediatrics at GeorgetownUniversity School of Medicine.

He is working under funds froma training grant administered bythe National Institute of ChildHealth and Human Development.

The lucite diffusion chamber actslike a porous membrane and pro-tects the infant from attack by thedonor thymus cells. It enabled thescientists to reconstitute immunecompetence while running littledanger to the host.

This unique thymic transplantdemonstrated the feasibility oftransplanting a more desirable ma-ture thymus, previously thought tobe too devastating to the recipient.

In the Georgetown transplant,however, cells which might attack

from 24 to 120 hours, inhibitionwas evident within 48 hours andincreased with time.

If this same effect takes place inpatients under anesthesia, it couldcontribute to postoperative infec-tions and metastatic spread of can-cer during operations. It could alsoaffect organ transplantation immu-nology, Dr. Cullen said.

He also reported that studiesstill in progress show that somelocal anesthetics do not produceside effects on the immune system.

Dr. Cullen plans to continue re-search on other phases of this studyat the University of Washingtonin Seattle, where he was recentlynamed assistant professor, Depart-ment of Anesthesiology.

the host were trapped inside thediffusion chamber.

Even so, it allowed the entry ofnecessary nutrients, keeping thymiccells alive, and permitted hormonal-like factors produced by the thymusto diffuse out into the circulation to"turn on" the immune system.

"The significance of reconstitut-ing immunity is far reaching, andcan be used in a variety of clinicalproblems, such as infections andproblems of malignancy," Dr.Steele said.

The GU case is probably the firstto show genetic transmission ofthymus defects.

Two members of the same family—the infant and her half-brotherwho died 5 years previously—hadcongenital absence of thymus andparathyroid glands (DiGeorge'sSyndrome).

Their mother also showed a par-tially impaired immune system.This points up the importance ofexamining all family members forearly detection and support if thereis known thymic deficiency in anyone of them.

The infant who received thetransplant died of aspiration pneu-monia 8 days after the implant.Cultures of multiple tissues ob-tained at autopsy failed to revealthe presence of infection.

Death was considered unrelatedto the implant procedure and mostprobably was due to a mechanicalrespiratory problem in a previous-ly-debilitated child.

Regional Cancer CenterIn Alabama to Aid MD's;Plans Research Training t.[

The National Cancer Instituteannounced the award of a grant ofapproximately $1.4 million thisyear to the University of AlabamaMedical School to support cancerresearch and training activities at 'a Regional Cancer Center beingsdeveloped in Birmingham.

Over a 3-year period NCI, now ,supporting the Center in part, isexpected to award a total of $3million.Potential Evaluated

Prior to this award, under a 2-year NCI planning grant, the po-tential of a clinical cancer re- , ,search center at the university wasevaluated.

In addition to carrying out re-search and teaching within themedical school complex, scientistsat the new cancer center will serveas consultants to physicians in theregion on questions concerning thetreatment of patients, both by tele-phone and during visits to cancerclinics throughout the state.

The program for the new centerconsists of research projects inmore than a dozen scientific disci-plines—for example, gynecologiccancer studies, research into theviruses associated with childhoodtumors, immunology, virology, en-docrinology, environmental cancerstudies, molecular biology, pathol-ogy, radiation therapy, and engi-neering biophysics.

Dr. John R. Durant, professor ofMedicine and Director of the Can-cer Research and Training Pro-gram of the Medical School, is theprincipal investigator for the newcenter grant.

,

One good thing about stupidityis that you can bs pretty sure itsgenuine.—Changing Times,

Robert R. Kane, equipment specialist inthe Procurement Branch, OAS, retiredin June after 30 years of Governmentservice. He joined NIH in T962 after20 years with the Department of theNavy. He won a number of awardsincluding an Outstanding Efficiency Rat-ing while with the Navy and a Sus-tained High Quality PerformanceAward at NIH. A party was held inhis honor prior to his retirement.

THE NIH RECORD August 1, 1972 Page 5

CHEMICALS(Continued from Page 1)

are among the most important of* industrial chemicals.

Phthalates are high-boiling li-' quids which are incorporated into

synthetic resins or rubbers andwidely used in such materials asfood wraps, drinking containers,and blood bags.

Because of their inert nature,these chemicals have been consid-ered to be of little biologic hazard.

It was, therefore, surprising tomany toxicologists that plasticizers,such as di(2-ethylhexylphthalate)[DEPH], when in contact with

At the conference. Dr. David P. Rail,NIEHS Director, will meet with scien-tists from other Federal agencies todiscuss coordinating research on chem-ical substances.

aqueous solutions of proteins, couldleach out of the plastic and migrateto human tissues where they couldbe stored and produce toxic reac-tions.

Because of this discovery, con-cern has increased regarding theconsequences in man of subacuteand chronic ingestion, absorption,and/or inhalation of low levels ofa variety of phthalate esters.

There have been an increasingnumber of reports citing the ap-pearance of phthalate esters in theenvironment (including the foodchain as well as in human tissues).

The U.S. Bureau of Sport, Fish,and Wildlife has announced thatphthalate esters have been foundin soil, water, sediments, and fishand other aquatic organisms in in-dustrial and heavily populatedareas in the United States.

They have been identified incrude oil and in fish meal and cot-ton seed meal.

Approximately a billion poundsof phthalates are produced annual-ly. Phthalate ester plasticizers areextensively utilized in polyvinylchloride for food packaging, refrig-erator gasketing, luggage, hand-bags, coated cloth, vinyl floor cov-erings, waterproof boots and shoes,electrical insulation, and industrialhose and tank liners.

While phthalate esters have avery high non-effect level followingoral administration in several ani-mal species, nothing is currently

Combination of Sealant,Fluoride Gel UtilizedIn Tooth Decay Study

Dentists and trained auxiliaryworkers are trying to improvetooth decay prevention in childrenby combining two promisingmethods.

In a cooperative study, they willpaint a sealant onto the grindingsurfaces of molars and will havethe same children apply a fluoridegel to their teeth.

The study will be conducted bythe National Institute of DentalResearch and the Indian HealthService, Health Services and Men-tal Health Administration.

It is the first time that the sea-lant and fluoride gel have beentested together. Both of these pre-ventive measures can be appliedby trained dental auxiliary work-ers.

Therefore, if combined treat-ments prove more effective andeconomical than one alone, theseprocedures may permit dentists todiagnose and treat more peopleeffectively.

The study, directed by Dr. L.Ariel Thomson, NIDR, and Drs.John Butts and Donald Boggs,IHS, involves 800 fifth and sixthgraders from Ft. Defiance andChinle, Ariz.

As a first step, all decayed teethwill be restored. Then, in 400children, a sealant will be paintedin decay-free pits and fissures onthe chewing surfaces of molarsand bicuspids.

The same children will then usea fluoride gel for 10 minutesevery day for 10 consecutiveschool days. At the yearly check-ups, the sealant will be re-appliedif it has worn off and will be ap-plied to newly-erupted teeth.

The remaining 400 children willbe compared for tooth decayrates, the number of teeth re-stored, and the cost of treatment.

In addition to this study, theNIDR's National Caries Programis cooperating with othsr dsntalclinics to design similar studiesusing several preventives.

known in regard to the effects oftheir continued inhalation at lowlevels, such as from new car in-teriors and plastic furniture.

The biological significance ofphthalate ester residues alone, orin combination with environmentaltoxicants such as the PCBs (poly-chlorinated byphenyls) and organo-chlorine insecticides, also is notknown. At the present time, thereis not enough evidence to classifyphthalate esters as potential haz-ards to man.

The proceedings from the NIEHSconference will be published in thethird experimental issue of theInstitute journal, ENVIRONMEN-TAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES.

Kidney-Uremia ProgramConference ProceedingsPublished by NIAMDD

The National Institute of Arthri-tis, Metabolism, and Digestive Dis-eases has published the Proceedingsof the fifth annual meeting of theInstitute's Art i f ic ia l Kidney—Chronic-Uremia Program Contrac-tors' Conference.

The conference, which tookplace last January, brought to-gether about 200 contractors, con-sultants to the Program, and Insti-tute staff to discuss over 70research and development projectsreceiving support from NIAMDD.

The 295-page Proceedings dis-cusses such conference topics asthe evaluation of experimentalhigh-flux artificial kidneys employ-ing membranes with permeabilitysuitable for removal of larger mo-lecular weight solutes.

Conventional kidney machinesfilter out blood wastes up to a cer-tain molecular weight only.

Theoretically, removal of wastesof higher molecular weight mightbe desirable.

If important toxic compounds inthis molecular weight range arepresent in chronic kidney diseasepatients, their removal by improvedfiltering membranes would indicatewhat role, if any, such substancesplay in end stage kidney disease.

And this would also improve fur-ther the clinical status of patientsreceiving treatments with the arti-ficial kidney (hemodialysis).

A relatively recent innovation ofthe Program, the simple and com-pact Dow hollow-fiber kidney, isnow in mass production.

Studies of this kidney reportedin the Proceedings focus on assess-

Dr. Rasmussen to EvaluateNIAID Extramural ProgramIn Viral Disease Research

Dr. A. Frederick Rasmussen, Jr.,Associate Dean of the Universityof California, Los Angeles, Schoolof Medicine, is serving for 6 monthsas a special consultant to the Na-tional Institute of Allergy and In-fectious Diseases.

Dr. Rasmussen will evaluate theNIAID extramural program in re-search on viral diseases of man.

Dr. Rasmussen is reviewing cer-tain promising areas, such as clin-ical virology, diagnostic virology,and chronic and degenerative dis-eases, which have recently been es-tablished or are being considered bythe Institute's extramural programas areas of special emphasis.

He will determine how theseareas relate to other NIAID ex-tramural and intramural programs•—such as the antiviral substancesprogram—as well as to the virologyefforts of the other NIH categoricalInstitutes.

Completion of his report is ex-pected by early 1973.

From 1968 to 1969 Dr. Rasmus-sen spent a sabbatical year in theNIAID Rocky Mountain Labora-tory in Hamilton, Mont., collaborat-ing with Dr. William Hadlow inresearch on slow viral diseases.

ing the feasibility of training pa-tients to use the Dow hollow-fiberkidney in the home and how safelyit can be re-used several times inan effort to bring down the cost ofdialysis.

The Proceedings of the confer-ence are now being distributed toworkers in relevant fields.

Copies are available to investiga-tors at NIH and elsewhere throughthe Artificial Kidney —• Chronic-Uremia Program, NIAMDD.

A baby monkey opens wide for its bottle at the New England Regional PrimateResearch Center, Southborough, Mass.—one of the seven regional centers sup-ported by the Division of Research Resources. A new booklet, "NIH PrimateResearch Centers: A Major Scientific Resource," describes the centers in detail,and includes 78 photos of animals, facilities, and researchers in action. A freecopy of the 74-page booklet is available from the DRR Information Office.

Page 6 August 1, 1972 THE NIH RECORD

Saliva Investigations Indicate Hormonal ChangesDuring Normal Pregnancy and Menstrual Cycles

Investigations of saliva as an indicator of body functions show thatconcentrations of sodium, potassium, and calcium in saliva from thesubmaxillary glands reflect hormonal changes not only during normalpregnancy, but also during menstrual cycles.

Research was done at Columbia University under the direction of Drs.Stephen Wotman and Irwin D.Mandel with support from the Na-tional Institute of Dental Research.

During pregnancy, sodium con-centrations are lower than usual insaliva from both submaxillary andparotid salivary glands, althoughthe flow rates of the secretions re-main comparable. Usually flow de-creases when less sodium is pres-ent.

The concentration of calcium insaliva from the submaxillary glandis much lower than usual duringpregnancy and rises by about athird immediately after delivery,whereas it remains uniform re-gardless of pregnancy in parotidsaliva.

During pregnancy, there is ahigher concentration of potassiumin saliva from both glands thanthere is after delivery.

Further comparisons of thesesubstances in daily collections ofboth types of saliva were made dur-ing the menstrual cycle.

The cycles were divided into fourparts: menstrual, preovulatory,mid-cycle (the day when submax-illary calcium was lowest), and pre-menstrual.

Again, concentration of calciumremains constant in parotid salivathroughout the cycle but fluctuateswidely in submaxillary saliva. Itdrops sharply just after the mid-cycle (around ovulation time).

In submaxillary saliva, sodiumconcentration is highest duringmenstruation and lowest at mid-cycle, while potassium levels arethe reverse.

In parotid saliva, sodium andpotassium levels hold relativelysteady throughout the cycle.

Salivary flow rates decreasesomewhat at ovulation as is ex-pected when less sodium is present.

The investigators surmise thatbecause estrogen, which affects cal-cium transport, increases duringovulation, this hormone may ac-count for the low levels of calciumin submaxillary saliva during bothovulation and pregnancy.

They do not know why or how itaffects one gland and not the other.The researchers believe that thefluctuations in potassium and so-dium are influenced by changes inaldosterone levels as well as in es-trogen.

Conference Room B, WestwoodBldg., Closed on Temporary Basis

Because of the need for officespace, Conference Room B in theWestwood Building, is closed for atemporary period. The quarterswill be occupied by OFM untilother space can be found.

If possible, present reservationsfor that conference room will betransferred to space on the reserva-tion.

Rental of outside conferencespace must be procured, cleared,and justified through the SpaceManagement Section, Ext. 63172.

For rebooking reservations onthe campus call Margaret Brown,Ext. 66260.

Graduates of the fifth class of the U.S. Special Police Training Academy standbehind their supervisors. Seated (I to r) are: Ralph A. Stork, chief. Protectionand Parking Branch, OAS; Capt. Richard F. Jones, class representative; Gen.William H. Harris, planning officer, OAS; Alan P. Dean, executive secretary, Com-mission on Human Relations, Montgomery County, guest speaker; James A. Reed,assistant director, PHS Hospital, Baltimore, and William C. Wright, police train-ing officer. Standing (I to r) are: Sgt. Otho Ringgold, PHS Hospital; Pfc. MartinM. Cain; Pfc. Edward Toms, high scholastic award winner; Pfc. John H. Oldfield;Pfc. David K. Merriman; Pfc. Herbert R. Kohler; Pfc. Thomas J. Dempsey; Pfc.James W. Frye; Sgt. Monroe E. Sherman, and Cpl. John E. Carter.

A Special Achievement Group Awardwas recently made to (I to r): Frank R.Shaw, Granville M . Lewis, and Mark J.Lombard! of the National Institute ofDental Research's Laboratory of Micro-biology and Immunology. They werecited for their major contributions tothe increased scientific productivity ofthe Virology Section.

BHME Names Dr. EvansTo Black Concerns Post

Dr. Therman Evans, has beennamed special assistant for BlackConcerns in the Office of HealthManpower Opportunity, BHME.

The office was recently establishedwithin the Bureauto strengthen therepresentation ofdisadvantaged peo-ple and minoritiesin the health pro-fessions.

After his careerin the biologicalsciences at HowardUniversity wherehe received a B.S. Dr. Evansdegree and worked toward an M.S.,Dr. Evans entered Howard's Schoolof Medicine, receiving his M.D. in1971.

He completed his internship atChildren's Hospital in Washington,D. C.

Active in community affairs andcounseling, Dr. Evans narrated theaward-winning film "Code Blue,"which aimed to recruit more blacksand other minorities into the healthprofessions.

Dr. Terry Named Chief,Immunology Branch, NCI

Dr. William D. Terry, NationalCancer Institute, has been ap-pointed chief of the ImmunologyBranch, General Laboratories andClinics. He has been acting chiefsince the retirement of Dr. John L.Fahey in 1971.

Dr. Terry is coordinator of theCollaborative Research Program inTumor Immunology. He is respons-ible for helping develop a nationalplan for the expansion of researchin this area.

He has made significant contri-butions in the field of immunoglob-ulin structure, and has publishedmany papers on the subject.

PATIENTS(Continued from Page 1)

operative study is to determinewhether photocoagulation helpspreserve vision in patients with di-abetic retinopathy.

In this therapy an intense beamof light is directed into the eye andfocused on a tiny spot in the retina.Light is absorbed by the retinaand converted to heat, causing mi-nute burns.

In some cases the light applica-tions are made directly over thepatches of new vessels in an at-tempt to coagulate and occludethem.

In other cases the applicationsare scattered in a checkerboardpattern over large areas of the ret-ina in the hope there will be an in-direct beneficial effect on untreatedareas of the retina.

Although photocoagulation hasbeen used extensively in the treat-ment of diabetic retinopathy in re-cent years, its true value has notbeen clearly documented.

Treatment ExplainedFurthermore, the several availa-

ble methods of photocoagulationhave not been tested against eachother. For this reason patients inthe study will be randomly dividedinto three groups.

One group will be treated withwhite light from the xenon arcphotocoagulator, a second groupwith the argon laser, which gen-erates a fine but intensely brilliantblue-green beam of light, and athird group with a combination ofthese two methods.

Initially only one eye of each pa-tient will be treated, while theother is followed as a control. Onlyif photocoagulation proves benefi-cial will treatment of the secondeye be considered.

Give Complete ExamsEvery patient will be given an

extensive eye examination and acomprehensive medical examina-tion.

Photographs of the retina willalso be taken before treatment toprovide objective evidence of thepresence of diabetic retinopathyand to classify the stage of the dis-ease.

Follow-up photographs will betaken to assess the effects of treat-ment. Each patient will be followedfor 5 years, during which time hewill have several examinations.

A coordinating center for the co-operative study has been estab-lished at the University of Mary-land in Baltimore.

A separate center for readingand classifying the photographs isoperating at the University of Wis-consin in Madison.

For several years he has par-ticipated in the graduate studiesprogram and tutorial seminar pro-gram.

THE NIH RECORD August 1, 1972 Page 7

D. Horlander AppointedExecutive Secretary,NIH Visiting Program

Dorothy P. Horlander, chief ofthe International Visitors Center,FIC, has also been appointedexecutive secretary for the NIHVisiting Program.

As executive secretary, she ad-ministers the program for the ap-proximately 250 Visiting Scientists,Associates, and Fellows present onthe NIH campus at any one time.

Besides formal administrativeduties, Mrs. Horlander and herstaff assist the visitors with hous-ing, insurance, tax, and other prob-lems related to adjusting to life inthis country.

Prior to joining FIC in 1969, shewas chief of the Special EventsSection in the Clinical Center for13 years.

Mrs. Horlander came to NIH in1949, and served in various capaci-ties in the Division of ResearchGrants, the Office of Research In-formation, and the Information Of-fice of NINDS.

The Visiting Program offices arenow located in the InternationalVisitors Center, Bldg. 16A, andmay be reached on Ext. 64335.

Mrs. Horlander helps visiting scientistsget oriented with life in the U.S.

Ken Miller Installed as PresidentOf Toastmasters; Succeeds Belin

Ken Miller, Printing and Repro-duction Branch, OAS, was installedas president of the NIH Toast-masters Club No. 3421 along withother new officers at a recent clubmeeting.

Mr. Miller succeeds John Belinwho has been elected lieutenantgovernor for District 36.

Men and women interested in de-veloping their public speaking abili-ties are invited to attend the meet-ings every Thursday in DiningRoom 2, Clinical Center Cafeteria,at noon.

For further membership infor-mation, call Dr. P. Sarma, 654-3400.

Mother, Son Participate in Project Stride;Program Offers Training for Career Status

By Susan MillerSummer Information Aide

Many people may think their career goals and ambitions are meredreams because of the lack of money, education, or opportunity. ButEthel Keith, and her son Irvin Keith, found out that there was a wayof fulfilling their hopes for havingprofessional careers.

Through Project Stride, NIH isgiving career opportunities to Mrs.Keith and her son along with 44other non-professional employees.

Project Stride provides educa-tional opportunities and on-the-jobtraining for employees in GS 7 orbelow or in equivalent pay systems.Employees in these classificationscannot advance to professionalpositions because of a lack of edu-cation or experience.

Mrs. Keith, a licensed practicalnurse at the out-patient clinic,Clinical Center, has worked therefor 16 years, in all departments ex-cept Mental Health.

Mrs. Keith received her nursingeducation at Margaret MurrayWashington Vocational School andwas attending Federal City Col-lege, part of the Upward MobilityProgram, when she applied to Proj-ect Stride.

The project is giving her achance to "try and advance" shesaid. Now, she is working in a

Mrs. Keith and her son Irvin have in-teresting plans for the future. She willwork toward a B.S. degree in Biology.Mr. Keith, who describes the projectas a "once in a lifetime deal . . . , "will concentrate on public information.

grade 5 position; upon completingthe program she will have a Bache-lor of Science degree in biology.

Mr. Keith, with the Grants Di-vision of the National Institute ofNeurological Diseases and Stroke,has worked at NIH for 10 years.He attended Southeastern Univers-ity part-time from 1965 to 1971.

Status Will ImproveHe is a GS-6, but he also will

attain professional status once hecompletes the program.

Mr. Keith, who will concentrateon public information, considersthis opportunity a "once in a life-time deal you can pick up on."

Both mother and son, along with44 other trainees, were selectedfrom 195 applicants for having thebest potential to complete the job.To be eligible, a candidate had tobe a permanent, full-time NIH em-ployee with career status—FederalGovernment employment for atleast 3 years.

An interview board headed byRichard Striker, chief of the Ca-reer Development Branch, Office ofPersonnel, and his assistantsStephen Bell and Lou Hernandez,coordinated the program andselections.

Representatives of the NIHEqual Employment Opportunity,the Office of Personnel Manage-ment, and American Universitymade up the interview boards.

The trainees will have a 40-hourweek, with 50 percent of their time

spent in class and 50 percent inon-the-job training. AU will offerclassroom training with majorareas of study approved by NIH.

According to Mr. Keith, "Proj-ect Stride is unique; you put intopractice what you are learning inschool."

Each person's training assign-ment is similar to the work thatNIH professional employees per-form. The program leads to place-ment in a professional position atNIH but does not commit the proj-ect graduate to stay here.

The Office of Personnel Manage-ment, along with each Institute andDivision, has set up a pool oftrainee positions available to Stridestudents. Duties will increase inresponsibility and complexity as thetrainee progresses in his studies.

In order to be placed in an occu-pation after completing ProjectStride, the trainee must spend atleast one full year, during the 3-year program, in that position.

The trainees began their assign-ments in mid-July, followed byorientation, academic interviews,and registration at AU.

Along with a training position,each member will carry full aca-demic credits of three or fourcourses per semester. Studentsare expected to successfully com-plete 32 courses. Classes will beginSept. 11.

On completing the project, the46 graduates will have degrees inbiology, chemistry, general science,

NIH Visiting ScientistsProgram Participants

7/12—Dr. Eike P. Nebelin, Ger-many, Laboratory of BiomedicalSciences. Sponsor: Dr. ErhardGross, NICHD, Bldg. 10, Rm. 5B11.

7/12—Dr. Marco Trabucchi,Italy, Laboratory of PreclinicalPharmacology. Sponsor: Dr. Er-minio Costa, NIMH, Wm. A. WhiteBldg., St. Elizabeths Hospital.

7/16—Dr. Hitoshi Fujisawa, Ja-pan, Laboratory of BiochemicalPharamacology. Sponsor: Dr. Her-bert Tabor, NIAMDD, Bldg. 4,Rm. 110.

7/16—Dr. Fairwell Thomas, In-dia, Molecular Diseases Branch.Sponsor: Dr. H. Bryan Brewer, Jr.,NHLI, Bldg. 10, Rm. 7D12.

7/17—Dr. Samuel Batzri, Israel,Laboratory of Biochemistry. Spon-sor: Dr. Edward D. Korn, NHLI,Bldg. 3, Rm. 318.

8/1—Dr. Robert M. Barr, UnitedKingdom, Lung Cancer Unit. Spon-sor: Dr. Luigi DeLuca, NCI, Bldg.37, Rm. 3C04.

social science, management tech-nology, or medical technology.

As summer of '72 began, selectedcandidates received letters of ac-ceptance from Dr. Robert Q. Mars-ton, NIH Director; Dr. Herbert E.Striner, Dean of College of Con-tinuing Education, AU; EdwardNicholas, assistant director forOperations, OPM; Jane E. Taylor,special assistant to the Director,Office of Upward Mobility, HEW,and Mr. Striker.

Dr. Marston told the first Proj-ect Stride class, "Your presencehere today marks the beginning ofa new career opportunity for youand another opportunity for NIHto better utilize the excellent em-ployees you are."

At a farewell retirement party, EllisSheets (I), for 24 years a laboratorytechnician with NCI, and Mrs. Sheets,listen to all the laudatory remarksabout his work. Mr. Sheets workedwith Dr. Timothy E. O'Connor on tissueculture studies of the Rauscher leu-kemia virus in the Viral OncologyBranch. Dr. O'Connor has just finishedreading a letter of tribute from Dr.Frank J. Rauscher, Jr., NCI Director.

Page 8 August 1, 1972 THE NIH RECORD

Pin-pointing the exact location of cardiac arrhythmias (unusually rapid heartbeats) which characterize Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, Dr. Andrew Wallace(r) and a laboratory technician monitor impulses transmitted by surface elec-trodes during actual open chest surgery on a Clinical Research Unit patient atDuke University Medical Center. Arrhythmias are caused by impulses travelling ashortened route between the atrium and the ventricle. By locating and blockingthe aberrant channel of the impulses, cardiologists are determining one methodof correcting the disorder. WPW has been under study at Duke for 5 years, sup-ported in part by the National Heart and Lung Institute. The CRU is supportedby the Division of Research Resources.

3 NIH Components to Expand ResearchOn Acupuncture for Anesthesia, Pain Relief

Dr. Robert Q. Marston, NIH Director, last week announced that NIHwill expand its search for knowledge on acupuncture anesthesia andanalgesia in the United States.

Dr. Marston said this action is based on ongoing studies of Chinesemedicine which began 2% yearsago and on the further recommen-dations of an ad hoc committee ofinternational experts in the fields ofanesthesiology, neurology, neuro-physiology, and psychology.

The committee met here July17-18 under the chairmanship ofDr, John J. Bonica, professor andchairman of the Department ofAnesthesiology, University ofWashington School of Medicine,Seattle.

Dr. Marston directed three NIHcomponents to assess and identifyspecific opportunities and needs for

The ad hoc committee of internationalexperts, headed by Dr. Bonica, agreedthat important information on acu-puncture would come from the studyof patients with well-defined pain syn-dromes.

research on the use of acupuncturefor surgical anesthesia and the re-lief of chronic pain.

The assessment is to be under-taken by the National Institute ofGeneral Medical Sciences, the Na-tional Institute of NeurologicalDiseases and Stroke, and the Fo-garty International Center.

It will be accomplished throughworkshop conferences, to be heldat an early date, and by a compre-hensive survey of the literatureand activities on acupuncture con-ducted in this country and abroad.

The committee agreed initially—on the basis of clinical experiencesdescribed by some of the partici-pants and reports on the observa-tions of others—that acupunctureanesthesia is a significant area ofresearch.

After considering the many sug-gested uses of acupuncture, thecommittee recommended that themost valuable first approach in theU.S. are studies on the method'suse for surgical anesthesia and forthe alleviation of certain chronicpain syndromes.

Will Test EffectsAccording to Dr. Bonica, the

committee recommended tha tthorough investigations should beconducted of the effects of acupunc-ture on various body functions, in-cluding the nervous system, circula-tion, respiration, and metabolism.

They further recommended thatthe applicability of acupuncture topatients in this country be studiedand that its effectiveness be com-

Research and Community Service Awards

Begin Attack Against Sickle Cell DiseaseThe award of grants and contracts totalling $9 million for research

and community services directed against sickle cell disease was an-nounced at an HEW press briefing July 20 by Dr. Rudolph E. Jackson,Coordinator of the National SickleCell Disease Program and chief ofthe NHLI's Sickle Cell DiseaseBranch.

Dr. Jackson was introduced byDr. Robert Q. Marston, NIH Di-rector, who said " . . . we believewe have begun a balanced attackon sickle cell disease. About halfof the total funds will go to re-search and half toward develop-ment of services."

Dr. Jackson pointed out that theawards constitute the Federal Gov-ernment's first major thrust in thedisease, and are in response toPresident Nixon's February 1971health message to Congress inwhich he identified sickle cell ane-mia as a high-priority disease tar-get and called for increased Fed-eral expenditures in this area dur-ing fiscal year 1972.

Dr. Jackson reiterated that theawards, implement the balancedprogram of research and commu-nity services recommended by theHEW Sickle Cell Disease AdvisoryCommittee.

He characterized the NationalProgram as a combined effort be-tween NIH and the Health Serv-ices and Mental Health Adminis-tration and other Federal, state,and private agencies.Some Awards Listed

The new awards establish:• 10 Comprehensive Research

and Community Service Centers innine states and the District ofColumbia.

These will be organized aroundongoing programs in sickle cell dis-ease—such as the one at HowardUniversity under the direction ofDr. Roland B. Scott—and are de-signed to bridge the gap betweenfundamental research, clinical ap-plication, and community service.

• 19 Screening and EducationClinics in 14 states and D. C.

These will provide screening and

pared with other methods of anes-thesia.

In applying acupuncture for re-lief of chronic pain, the committeeconcurred that important useful in-formation would come from thestudy of patients with well-definedpain syndromes, such as neuralgiaand other painful states due tonerve injuries and cancer.

They also stressed the great im-portance of medical exchange be-tween the United States and thePeople's Republic of China, notingthat much can be learned by Amer-ican physicians and scientists ob-serving at first hand the researchand clinical use of acupuncture inthat country.

definitive diagnosis of sickle celldisease, education of the generalpopulation as well as the popula-tion at risk and of health person-nel, referral of patients to appro-priate sources of treatment andfollow-up care, and acquisition ofdetailed data on methodology.

One of these clinics will be oper-ated by the District of Columbiaunder the direction of Dr. RaymondL. Standard.

Also funded are 34 CollaborativeResearch and Development con-tracts for fundamental and appliedresearch into the nature and treat-ment of this inherited disease thatprimarily afflicts black people.

At one point during the pressbriefing, Dr. Jackson responded toa question concerning fears of gen-

Dr. Jackson allayed fears of genocidein connection with the Sickle Cell Dis-ease Program. Any counselling will befor the purpose of informing individ-uals so that they might make theirown decisions, he said.

ocide in connection with the screen-ing and genetic counselling aspectsof the program.

He stated that any counsellingwill be for the purpose of inform-ing individuals so that they mightmake their own decisions aboutmarriage and family planning.

"So, indeed, instead of genocide,I like to consider this program asbeing 'genosave,' " he said.

Participating in the press brief-ing were Marjorie Costa, Directorof HSMHA's National Center forFamily Planning Services; Dr.Dorothy M. Holden, Program Co-ordinator of the ComprehensiveResearch and Community ServiceCenter being established at Down-state Medical Center, Brooklyn,N.Y., and Dr. Lionel Rose, ProjectDirector of the Screening and Edu-cation Clinic at Provident Hospital,Baltimore.