_ c._ _ . Health Service Handbook The Michigan Daily Edited and managed by Students of the University of Michigan Wednesday, July 6, 1977 News Phone: 764-0552 Neutron bomb explodes insufficient controversy BY A SINGLE VOTE margin in the Senate late last week, that dubiously distinguished body of legislators prov- ed to the American public just how irrational our national defense system can get. The show's not over yet, folks, the best is yet to come. That single vote margin left funds for the develop- ment and testing of the neutron bomb intact, when such funds indubitably should have been blown to smithereens. That bomb, exploded in the air above the target, would, through what is known as "enhanced radiation", kill peo- ple, but leave the physical structures which mark the cul- tures of mankind en Coto. Just how the development and testing of such a wea- pon woulud affect the arms race or the SALT tests is not known-the White House-which, incidentally, favors the development and testing of "enhanced radiation" weapons -has not yet submitted the impact statement to those people whio decide the fate of such matters. How can an executive branch which purports to abhor the arms race, which is allegedly seeking a SALT agree- ment, which deplored the lack of a comprehensive nu- clear test ban in campaign statements, justify this insane pose? THIS WEAPON COULD feasibly change the apparently now-old-fashioned-war strategy of crippling the ene- my's warring capabilities in times of con lict to simply eliminating numbers of the enemy. And the proposed death- by radiation-is one of the most horrible imagine- able. Statistics on the size and long lasting effects of radia- tion upon the environs of targeted areas are not known. But the slow, painful lingering death of those fatally ex- posed to the radiation is all too familiar. It is also known that exposure to the radiation could affect the yet-to-be born. Little information about this horrible neutron bomb is available. As such, our senators, faced with a vote on, the issue, voted with even less information than what we now have. They voted without the feedback of their con- stituencies. They voted, not knowing the full horrible de- tails about the effects of this bomb. And they voted knowing the creation of such a bomb would make nuclear war harder to avoid than it is now. On August 15, 1945, after tales of the devastation at Hiroshima just begari to be told, Americans and people all over the globe feared that A-bomb would be but the begin- ning of a new and terrifyingly awesome era in warfare. The bleakest hopes and darkest fears of those days, now rekindled, become less of a nightmare and closer to real- ity. And.human life be damned. By SYLVIA HACKER and NANCVPALCHIK QUESTION: Will a diet in fatty foods eventually lead to a heart attack? ANSWER: According to Dr. Edmund Whale, a Health Ser- vice staff member, in order to understand the effects of a diet high in cholesterol and satura- ted fats on your chances of having a heart attack, you must consider their effect on the mid- dle and larger sized arteries in the body. There are certain growths or deposits that develop inside these arteries which can then undergo a series of pro- cesses which may eventually result in obstruction of the ar- tery by a blood clot (throm- bosis). A diet high in cholesterol and saturated fats may speed up this process. While many other factors are involvedl here, both intrinsic (genetic factors, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.), and extrinsic (cigarette smok- ing, environmental stresses, etc.), it is true diet and choles- terol levels are often important.- Does this mean everyone must give up bacon, eggs, butter and cream? Not really. Some peo- ple who haye a relatively high intake of such foods as these may not have high blood levels of cholesterol and may not have a heart attack or stroke. But of all the various indications of future cardio-vascular events such 'as heart attacks and strokes, cholesterol blood level is one of the best predictors. Slood cholesterol level varies considerably in different and in different populations. Hope- fully, young adult students will have a cholesterol blood level of 200 or less. However, 200 plus a person's age is a rough indi- cation of "normal" cholesterol level. Since certain foods such as egg yolk are high in choles- terol, it would be prudent to limit intake of eggs to 3-5 per week. But of course, since oth- er foods also influence choles- terol, limitation of eggs may not be that necessary if the remaining foods are relatively low in cholesterol. QUESTION: The doctor at Health Service saidI had hem- orrhoids. Is this posible? I'm only 19. ANSWER: Hemorrhoids (also called piles) are common in all age groups. We see a lot of students with this problem - maybe 35 to 40 a month. The cause is not clear since it is "1 AM War A CSCOK f/" seen in persons engaged in both sedentary and- active physical work. Hemorrhoids are varicose (enlarged) veins of the rectum which can bleed and/or be pain- ful. Usually they are treated with sitz baths which are warm water soaks in a bathtub, and with suppositories which are medicated objects which melts when inserted in the rectum and aid healing. In the end,. most get better in a few days. Send all health related ques- tions to: i Health Educators University Health Service Division of Office of Student Services 217 Fletcher Ann Arbor, MI 48109 i I Letters to The, Daily pot law To The Daily: The recent outburst in the House of Representatives where Rep. Rosetta Fsurstenburg (D- Detroit) assaulted Rep. Perry Bullard disgusted mecomplete- ly. Decriminalization is long past due. Rep. McKneely's mis- understood comparison of mari- juana and hishson's death by overdose of heroin was ap- parently too emotional for Fur- stenburg. Perhaps she needs to smoke a joint? Thomas Armstrong bikeways To The Daily: Ann Arboryand the U can lead the nation in helping to solve both the energy problem and the youth employment at one stroke by using unskilled, young people to build simple, strong, elevated, level, primari- ly wooden structures for motor- les bikes to travel from one hill to another in Ann Arbor in much faster time than a car. This blow at air pollution could also open up wider housing possibilities in Ann Arbor The first viaduct -should run from State St. to Westgate, and in- volve considerable metal. Es- pecially in cities, such viaducts would cut the bicycle deaths of youngsters. M.J.L. O'Connor church stands To The Daily: I appreciate your running the story "Presbyterians Nix Anti- gay Move" in your issue Wed- nesday, June 29! I have not seen its appearance elsewhere. I cer- tainly say "hats off!" to the leaders of the Amerian as- sembly of the United Presby- terian meeting in Philadelphia for turning thumbs down to the "first-cousins-to-Anita" in their midst, one of whom seriously proposed "we should devise a ministry for the homosexuals so they can be cleared of this sin." But the majority had a suspicion, I assume, that gay- ness was, instead, a life long way of life of which one's sexu- al preference is only a part and voted strongly to continue an in- depth study of gayness as it relates to the mission and min- istfy of their church. It is said and disappointing that, for the most part, we have heard nothing but a tomb like silence from other major church bodies, Christian and Jewish, since Ms. Anita has been rant- ing and raving her anti-gay ... anti-human fulminations down Dixie side. Silence tokens con- sent? Guts? One church leader who has been heard from is television and print media personality, the Rev. Father Malcolm Boyd of the Episcopal Church. He said the other day: "We are witness- ing the phenomenon of religi- ous McCarthyism, the self-right- eous and arrogant tyranny of politicized fundamentalism over the human rights of a scape- goat minority. Disciples of hate are not Christian, I don't care how much scripture they car quote." Right on brother Mal- colm! Rev. Craig S. Wilder Contact. your reps - Sen. Donald Riegle (Dem.), 1205 Dirksen Bldg., Washing- ton, D.C. 20510 Sen. Robert Griffin (Rep.), 353 Russell Bldg., Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 20515. Rep. Carl Pursell (Rep.), 1709 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515. Sen. Gilbert Bursley (Rep.), Senate, State Capitol Bldg., Lansing, MI 48933. Rep. Perry Bullard (Dem.), House of Representatives, State Capitol Bldg., Lansing,'MI 48933.