Page 8-Saturday, January 6, 1979-The Michigan Daily
Chinese claim to have birth control pill for men
By C. J. MALESKI
with AP reports
Chinese scientists claim to have per-
fected a birth-control pill for men which
is nearly 100 per cent effective and
which exhibits no serious side effects,
reported U.S. family planning experts
back from a November tour of the
People's Republic.
The new drug, called "gossypol", by
the Chinese, is derived from the seed
and other parts of the cotton plant. The
contraceptive is taken orally on a daily
basis for three months, followed by a
periodic maintenance dose. The
Chinese researchers report that
gossypol has no effect on sexual ability,
and that fertility is restored within, a
year after discontinuing usage.
FURTHERMORE, the effects of the
contraceptive are completely rever-
sible, since it acts to block sperm for-
mation, rather than killing sperm
which have already formed.
Clincial trials on about 3000 men show
gossypol about 99.8 per cent effective,
and without serious side effects, accor-
ding to the Chinese.
The drug does, however, lower
potassium levels in the body, reported
Mrs. Ivan Duff, president of the
Washtenaw County League for Planned
Parenthood, and a tour member. The
condition can be easily corrected, she
said, by modifying the diet of the user to
include "a lot of bananas and oranges
and such."
THE PILL HAS recently been ap-
proved by the Chinese Ministry of
Health for general use in Chinese
clinics, said Mrs. Duff, but as of her
visit, it had not been distributed in all
areas of the country.
Chinese doctors reported it is too
early to estimate the rate of the con-
traceptive's acceptance into Chinese
culture. "The men are not very en-
thusiastic as yet," said Doctor Pan Jun
Din of the Hsin Hua Commune, in the
People's Republic.
Women's traditionally inferior status
in Chinese society might contribute to
male hesitancy to take responsibility
for contraception, said Mrs. J.D. Pren-
dergast, Ann Arbor's second link in the
visiting U.S. delegation. "Men
generally do not care to take this
responsibility,",she said.
IN ADDITION to the male contracep-
tive, the Chinese also report develop-
ment of a "visiting pill", similar to the
"morning after" pills developed in the
U.S. and Europe, said Dr. Stanley
Kaplan, a pharmacologist for the drug
firm of Hoffman-La Roche Inc., who
accompanied the group to China. The
Chinese pill does not use the synthetic
hormone DES, presently under in-
vestigation for possible links to cancer
in users, said Kaplan.
U.S. scientists, contacted for a reac-
tion to the Chinese development, opted
to reserve judgement on gossypol suc-
cess until additional data becomes
available for examination.
"Although I'm very anxious to review
their data, from what I heard I was
very impressed," said Dr. Kaplan.
Kaplan said he discussed the drug with
both the Chinese researchers who ex-
tracted it and the urologists who tested
it. "It sounded scientifically solid, and
the Chinese appear optimistic," he
said.
DR. GABRIEL BIALY, chief of con-
traceptive development at the National
Institute of Child Health and Human
Development, in Bethesda, Md., was
less enthusiastic. "Historically, there
have been other occasions where the
Chinese have made claims of clinical
efficacy which could not be substan-
tiated," he said.
The Population Council, a research
organization funded by the Rockefeller
Foundation in New York, is cooperating
with the Chinese in studies to substan-
tiate their findings, said Dr. Sheldon
Segal, the foundation's director of
population sciences.
"There are many unknowns about
gossypol," said Segal. "Animal studies
have shown a cumulative toxicity.
However, the Chinese may have been
successful in purifying the substance to
eliminate that," he said.
Segal pointed out that Western
research on development of a male con-
traceptive pill has been somewhat
disappointing. Most U.S. research has
centered on the utilization of sex hor-
mones to halt sperm production, he
noted.
Specifically, Western researchers
are presently focusing on regulating the
brain hormones that control a chain of
hormonal reactions that lead to sperm
production, said Dr. Bialy. Unfor-
tunately, U.S. researchers are far from
a clinically useful version of such a
drug, he said.
An Italian company claims to have
developed a male contraceptive pill
which, although it has been found har-
mful to monkeys and rats, does not ap-
pear to be harmful to humans, accor-
ding to Bialy. That drug is currently
under investigation in the U.S., he said.
Among the nations of the world, the
U.S. population ranks fourth, says the
Census Bureau. The People's Republic
of China holds first place with 850
million, India is second with 622.7
million and the U.S.S.R. third with 259
million.
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In the MICH. UNION,
next to U Cellar 665-8065
Smallfrosh lectures met with approval in LS&A
By VICKI HENDERSON
One of the most frequently expressed
complaints by freshpersons attending
the University is the large enrollments
in the lectures of introductory courses.
Last term John Knott and Judy Bar-
dwick, associate deans of the Literary
College (LS&A), saw their proposal of
offer freshperson's seminars become a
reality.
"THE CLASSES ARE limited to 15
students and emphasize participation
and discussion," Knott said. "Students
receive more personal attention and
seem to appreciate the accessibility of
the faculty."
Sixteen courses were offered to in-
coming freshmen for fall term. Studen-
ts were sent brochures last summer
describing the seminars offered in
Humanities, Social Sciences and
Natural Sciences. The brochures also
explained the purpose of a seminar.
Both students and the faculty who
participated in the seminars were
pleased by the results.
PROFESSOR EMERITUS Frank
Huntley, who taught a seminar entitled
"The Enjoyment of Poetry," said,
"Lectures are designed strictly to give
information. There is no chance to ask
questions. And students can sometimes
learn more from each other than they
can from the professor."
William Porter of the Journalism
Department said, "The seminar allows
more interaction between students. The
kids worked hard (last fall), and I was
very pleased."
The student course evaluations com-
plied by Knott reveal that most fresh-
persons were appreciative of the oppor-
tunity to attend classes with far fewer
students in them. Some of the commen-
ts included: "The intimacy of a small
class really appealed to me;" "they're
the best classes given;" and "everyone
learned in a pleasant atmosphere."
Knott is currently attempting to
recruit members of the LSA faculty to
facilitate seminars this fall. He said
there is "good potential faculty in-
terest," and Knott hopes to increase the
number of seminars offered to fresh-
persons.
Eight courses are being offered for
freshpersons this term. Openings
remain to be filled in the enrollments
for "Humanism Past and Present,"
"The Epic Tradition in the Western
World," "Knowing in Science," and
"Invitation to Mathematics."
Normalisation okayed
by western leaders
SAFE house tenants doing fine
Three hospitalized residents of Ann
Arbor's SAFE house are reportedly
"doing fine" after being struck by a
I of
OVER 40,00 VEGGIES SOLD!
Try us for an early evening dinner
mysterious and unidentified ailment
early yesterday morning, a volunteer
at the house said.
The SAFE (Shelter Available for
Emergencies) house is a refuge for vic-
tims of domestic violence run by the
Domestic Violence Project.
The volunteer, who wished to remain
anonymous, declined to release any
further information, but two of the
adults are reportedly in fair condition
at University Hospital and a third was
in good condition. Lou Graff, director of
public relations at the hospital,
declined last night to release infor-
mation on the unidentified patients.
The patients and nine other residents
of SAFE house were reportedly suf-
fering from nausea, headaches, ,and
vomiting before being hospitalized
yesterday. The other residents were
treated and released
OUR VEGGIE AND ClU8 SANDWICHES
HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO FEED TWO!
Afternoon Delight has eveything
from Quiches and Crepes
to peanut buffer bagels
Start your dinner with homemade soup and finish
with a special rich natural cheesecake.
We guarantee you won't be disappointed at
'Superman' succeeds
decision will pay off in Part II, expected
out some time next year.
BUT THEN we must bring ourselves
back to earth - after all, is Superman a
treatise on free will, or a comic strip?
Clearly John Williams' score, while
never achieving the sophisticated
imitation-parody of Star Wars' brass
fanfares, is intended as a sort of satire
on pop heroism. Superman generally
succeeds not so much on any of its basic
conceptions, as on the strength of its in-
dividual charms. One of these, along
with Christopher Reeve's appealing
performance, is Margot Kidder's Lois
Lane. Ever since 1970, when she starred
opposite Gene Wilder in the offbeat
Quakser Fortune Has A Cousin in the
Bronx, this talented actress has given a
string of consistently funny and off-the-
wall performances, including the part
of a psychotic ex-Siamese twin in Brian
De Palma's cheapo thriller-diller
Sisters.
In Superman, her Lois is dizzy, but
not without a certain native smarts. To
coin the name "Superman," the script
has Lois return from her midnight
flight and say, staring dreamily into
space, "What a super man!" It's the
stupidest line in the entire film, but
Kidder says it with a half-crazed
rhythm all her own, and you believe
her. Superman may not be a super-
movie, but it testifies that if our
cultural mythology is slightly inane, it
may be that very inanity that makes it
so enjoyable.
SAINT FRANCOIS, Guadelope
(Reuter)-President Carter and
leaders of three other major western
powers agreed yesterday that the
decision to normalize relations between
the U.S. and China should not harm ef-
forts to broaden detente with the Soviet
Union.
Carter conferred with British Prime
Minister James Callaghan, West Ger-
man Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and
French President Valery Giscard
d'Estaing for three hours at the begin-
ning of a two-day summit here.
An official conference spokesman
said the leaders agreed that nor-
malization of Sino-American relations
last Monday "was a positive factor, and
the development of relations with China
should in no way be detrimental to the
policy of detente with the Soviet
Union."
According to informed sources,
prospects for a multi-million dollar
British trade deal with China, including
the sale of military jets, were also
disclosed at yesterday's summit.
The sources said British Prime
Minister James Callaghan informed
the other Western leaders of
negotiations for a big trade deal with
China.
The negotiations contemplated sales
of two billion dollars, including Harrier
jump-jet aircraft and a wide range of
industrial goods and services,
Callaghan said.
White House spokesman Jody Powell
told Reuters: "The United States has no
intention of selling weapons either to
the Soviet Union or to China.
"We would be opposed to sales of of-
fensive weapons, but obviously have no
control over decisions by other gover-
nments on this."
Business prof. appointed
Appointment of Dick Leabo of the
Fred Taylor Endowed Distinguished
Professor in the University Graduate
School of Business Administration was
approved by the Regents.
Leabo is professor of statistics and
director of the Doctoral Studies
Program in the Business School.
A member of the U-M faculty since
1957, Leabo is a graduate of the Univer-
sity of Iowa. He previously taught at his
alma mater and at Michigan State
University. He has served as exchange
professor at the Netherlands School of
Economics (now Erasmus University)
and as a consultant on collegiate
education for business at the Aspen In-
stitute for Humanistic Studies.
K0
OPEN: Mon,
Wed-Sa
o 2it E.Goo LFry . 65-7513 -
251 E. Liberty 0 665-7513
Tues 10-7
t 10-8
Deportation for Iranians?
-l
(Continued from Page 1)
I
'IL-
Book rushis never pleasant.
But Ulrich's can make it better. Just hand your course list to one of Ulrich's people,
and they'll get your books for you. While you're there, you can pick up
your other supplies, too. It won't cost you an arm and a leg, either. Give it a try.
topics of whether Iranian military
leaders will lose the influence they have
had in the past, and what effect that
might have on security in Iran itself
and the region.
Iran has received more than $8 billion
in sophisticated U.S. weapons in the
last six years - including F14 fighter;
planes with top secret Phoenix missiles
(which no other U.S. ally has received).
The United States also keeps highly
sensitive electronic surveillance
equipment at a' network of monitoring
stations along the Soviet border.
THE CARTER Administration con-
UofM
Te Kwon Do Club
DEMONSMR iON
Wed., Jan. 10,-7 PM
CCRB Martial Arts Room
ALL WELCOME
for info call:
Joe: 665-8543
Joann: 663-5913
siders pro-Western Iran to be a vital
American concern because of its
strategic location between the Persian
Gulf and the Soviet Union as well as for
its oil supplies. American firms have
billions of dollars in contracts pending
with Iran.
About 35 Iranian students alleged to
have joined a violent demonstration
against the shah's mother and sister
face possible deportation, ad-
ministration sources said yesterday.
Steps to deport them for violating the
terms of their visas will now be taken,
although the order will probably have
to come from a court, they added.
The Carter Administration announ-
ced yesterday it would deport all par-
ticipants in such violence:Secretary of'
State Cyrus Vance yesterday sent his
regrets over the incident to the shah.
A
Folk duo overcome
slickness
(Continued from Page 5)
WHAT IT BOILS down to is that this
pair produces some exceedingly fine
folk music which may turn off folk.
music buffs. At the Raven Gallery in
Greater Detroit a few weeks ago, not
one person at a sold out folk concert
admitted listening to country music,
and these are the kinds of people who
will switch off their radios less than a
verse into a fine song like "Stages of my
Life," which is positively rank with the
Opry sound. That would be their loss,
but also, of course, Ringer and Mc-
Caslin's: They've tried to sell them-
selves out to the country sound, and it's
not going to wash especially well
anywhere.
The Bramble and The Rose is a very
good album by a great duo who, riddled
by strange hopes of making it big in pop
and country, don't know what they're
great at. Their best friends should tell
them.
S. University
Store Only
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OUR
S. UNIVERSITY STORE
S. University
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40 % off everything
Brand new releases * Current titles * Hardcover and paperback
books * Backlist titles " Old raggedy titles " Antiques! ! French
books and German books.