64 Friday, May 30, 1975

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Foundation Fights Six 'Jewish' Diseases:
All Related to Herditary Genetic Defects

By GEORGE CROHN

community chapter forma-
tion.

Onl
Only within the last 30 potential genetic breeding has its own set of symp-
The cause of Tay-Sachs
years or so have medical re- ground for cancer. As they toms. The spleen and liver has been traced to the lack
of an essential enzyme
The unifying effort, we searchers begun to focus approach adulthood, scien- become greatly enlarged,
Whatever else Jewish par- hope, will help fund re- sharply on these inherited tists have found that they pushing out the abdomen.
called hexosaminidase, rs-r
ents pass down to their search and genetic coun- diseases with encouraging become increasingly suscep- The victims are abnormally Hex A. Its job is to break
children, they may also pass seling,
down fatty materials that
which would results. No cures have been tible to leukemia and other thin. Frequent bouts of
to them a tragic inheritance ideally lead to prevention found. But progress has cancers.
vomiting rack their bodies. build up in the cells of the
been made in prevention, by
related directly to the his- and cure.
These signs are usually nervous system.
seeking out carriers of se -v-
toric practice of Jews mar-
clear by the age of 18
Torsion
The victims of these ge- ere genetic defects, counsell-
A prenatal testi*
-h-
tying Jews. This is a dis-
months. Death usually
Dystonia
netic
mistakes
of
nature
ing
the
"at-risk!'
couples,
nique called amnk._ .,
ease, specifically six genetic
comes by three.
can identify Tay-Sachs 1
diseases, that are primarily, may be relatively few in and offering a choice of con-
Torsion dystonia is a par-
The disease is seen the unborn child. Carriers
but not exclusively, afflic- number. But as one re- tinuing or ending the moth- ocularly cruel affliction.
searcher has pointed out er's pregnancy before it is
roughly once in every of the gene for the disease
bons of their people.
tersely, " The incidence is too far advanced when tests This neurological disorder is 330,000 births. But among can also be detected by
disabling
ail-
il
100 percent and the catas- indiciate the unborn baby is a distorting,
children of the Ashkenazi, it blood tests that show half
Familial
ment marked .by convul- is once every 100,000.
trophe
trophe total" for the child afflicted.
much Hex A as in non-car-
sions, involuntary move-
Dysautonomia
move-
and the family struck by
riers:
ments
of
the
arms,
legs,
Young victims of Bloom's
Victims of Gaucher's
One is familial dysauton- one of these cruel, disfigur- syndrome
The gene occurs in one of
have a strikingly neck and torso.
disease suffer rheumatoid-
omia, a disorder of the nerv- ing or crippling and often similar
every 30 Jews of Ashkenazi
disorders.
similar,
bird-like
appear-
life-shortening
like
bone
and
joint
pains
Victims of familial dysau-
ous system. Another is tor-
descent. This means one out
ance. Their faces are small
dystonia, a muscle The victims are primarily and narrow, their heads tonomia, the nervous sys- and swelling. In its long - of 900 Ashkenazi Jewish
seizure
seizure disease. The others Ashkenazi Jews, descen-
term adult form, this de- couples runs the risk of hay-
Their ro-wth
tern
disorder,
can
neither
g
of those from Eastern elongated.
pain nor cry real tears. feet does not kill. But is a
are named for the others
stunted, they have a sensi- Injuries may go too long un- killer in its infantile form, ing an affected baby.
cians who first recognized and Central Europe.
disease is at least 100 ti The
m es
tivity
to
the
sun,
and
attended, and eye problems which is 10 percent of the more common in Jewish
them: Gaucher's disease,
Bloom's
blotches
mar
the
forehead,
total.
are
made
worse
by
the
lack
Bloom's disease, Niemann-
than non-Jewish children.
cheeks, nose ,and lips.
Syndrome
of tears.
Pick disease, and probably
The
young
victims
develop
The
intelligence
of
the
the best-known of all the
The fact that three of
Some of the diseases are
They are subject to at- muscle spasms, tremors, these six genetic disorders
"Jewish diseases," Tay- relatively "new." Bloom's victims is not affected. But tacks
of pneumonia, res- difficulty swallowing. In now can be detected b‘
Sachs.
syndrome, which stunts its their size and appearance,
It is with these six di- victims' growth, was first and the way others react piratory infections, fevers older children, mental re- prenatal screening, and car -
seases that the newly recognized in 1954 by New to these physical charac- that soar as high as 108 tardation, convulsions, and riers identified by labora-
and 110 degrees, and sei-
formed
ormed National Founda-
City skin specialist Dr. teristics, often lead to deep zures of vomiting that de- lung problems are seen. In tory tests, is of course rea
almost all cases, the spleen son for encouragement. B u
tion for Jewish Genetic Di- David Bloom. On the other psychological scars.
hydrate and often hospi- and liver are enlarged and medical science still has fa,
seases Inc. will concern it-
t- hand Tay-Sachs disease,
An added problem is the talize them. They do not blood disorders start.
self in a wide
to go: to find earlier and bet-
ide range of which often kills before the bizarre chromosome pat- grow to normal height,
national projects — educa- age of four, dates back to terns often seen in these
ter ways to detect these di-
Tay Sachs
and a spinal deformity,
tional
ng. and the 1880s.
seases; to correct the genetic
patients, making them a scoliosis, often develops.
mistakes before birth; to
The most wide-ranging find was of treating thosc-
Gaucher's Disease,
experience and some proven whose defects were not rec-
successes have come in Tay- ognized until after birth.
Niemann Pick
Sachs. Research achieve-
Gaucher's disease and ments within the last six
What can be done? Sup
Niemann-Pick disease are years have led.directly to port of such programs a.
brought on by the lack of mass screening programs the informational and fund-
one specific enzyme. In the
for prenatal detection of raising efforts of the Na-
Niemann-Pick, it is sphingo-
that disease.
tional Foundation for Jew
The "strong man" in Ar-
tina are for the most part
Many worried Argentine myelinase; in Gaucher's, it
ish Genetic Diseases Inc
gentina today is Jose Lopez
apathetic to the political
have looked to emigra- is called glucocerebrosidase.
This metabolic disorder and forming chapters in re- ,
Rega, minister of social struggle engulfing their Jews
tion to Israel as their only But whatever the scientific
strikes about six months gional areas are a start: The
welfare since last January country. They tend, as al- salvation. But the editor of name, its absence results in
after birth, transforming foundation can supply lite: -
and former secretary to the ways, to support the gov-
bright, healthy babies into ature and has a speaker's
late President Peron. He ernment in power. But La Luz, Nissim Enecave, the body's inability to break
explained that aliya rises down damaging deposits of unresponsive shells unable bureau-available to present
plays the role of "eminence many Jews are disturbed and
falls in conjunction fatty substances.
to crawl, turn over, smile, or programs on the diseases
gris" to Argentina's figure- by the draconian measures with the political mood in
grasp a mother's finger. By and their effects.
head president, Isabel the regime is taking to Argentina. At any rate, it is
Although there are three 18 months of age, they are
Peron, who succeeded - her suppress the Left.
small, fluctuating between other forms of Niemann- usually blind and paralyzed.
The foundation address is
husband. His powers are
Despite official assur- a high of 3,000 and a low of Pick, the type that strikes Inevitably, death comes by 608 Fifth Ave., New York, -
virtually unlimited.
ances, the Jewish popula- 1,800 a year.
children of Ashkenazi Jews the age of three or four.
N.Y. 10020.
Despite the fear, the
One of his first moves was tion is worried that they
will
become
the
scapegoats
bombings
and
kidnap-
to oust his arch rival, for-
a civil war that many pings, Jewish life contin-
to
mer Minister of Economy
think
is inevitable. Nor can ues here much as in more
Jose Ber Gelbard, a Jew
who. Argentinians had Jewish leaders conceal their peaceful times. There are
hailed as their economic anxiety over the growing two Yiddish dailies with
savior because of his trade propaganda activities and eight-and 10-page editions
agreements with the Soviet influence of the Atab coun- — more than in New York.
Synagogues are crowded
Union and the People's Re- tries in Argentina.
Dr. Nehemia Resnitzky, — never mind the bomb
public of China after the
European Common Market president of the DATA, the threats. At an ordinary
refused to include meat, one central representative body Friday evening service in
of Argentine Jewry, told the Calle Libertad Syn-
of Argentina's chief exports,
a reporter that the half agogue, Cantor Leibele
on its import list.
million Jews in Argentina Schwartz delighted the
Lopez Rega also disposed have, until recently, gotten congregation with a fe-
of the ministers of defense, along well with the one mil- male chorus and organ.
education and interior. He lion Arabs — mostly Chris-
Officially,
Argentine
appointed an 80-year-old tian — of Lebanese and Syr- Jews can pursue a career, go
---
physician, a Dr. Ivanisevitch ian descent in the country.
into business, even enter
as minister of education,
Since the establishment public service. But uneasi-
who prohlptly undertook of the PLO office in Bue- ness pervades every facet of
"anti-subversive" measures nos Aires, the anti-Jewish Jewish activities. The dan-
directed against intellec- propaganda campaign has ger may be remote as long
tuals and students. When become more strident and as the government feeds the
the chief of the national pol- more powerful.
enormous army of workers
ice was murdered last No-
Although a trade agree- and public employes with
vember, Lopez Rega re- ment between Argentina paper money.- But if a seri-
placed him with a personal and Libya concluded a year ous crisis occurs with mass
friend. Since then, hundreds ago failed to live up to ex- unemployment, Jews inevit-
of persons, including Jews, pectations and the govern- ably will be the scapegoat
who had never expressed ment's enthusiasm vis a vis for the government and the
Volunteers at Kibutz Ein Gedi take a break from their duties to relax in the arid Dead Sea
left wing or left of center the Arab countries cooled as masses alike. Argentine
air. The kibutz houses a health resort, a youth hostel, a nature study center and the waters of
views, were sent to prison.
a consequence, Arab influ
David's fountain, which recalls the visit the kings once made to that area. Ein Gedi also is noted
Jews know this and pray
for its health giving hot springs and thermal installations.
Jewish circles in Argen- ence remains strong here.
that it will never happen.

President, National Foundation
for Jewish Genetic Diseases, Inc.
(Copyright 1975, JTA, Inc.)

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Argentinian Jews - Fear Growing

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Anti-Semitism, GovernmentControl

The Dead Sea is Alive and Well

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