The Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXV, No. 66-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Tuesday, August 19, 1975 Ten Cents Twelve Pages
RESPIRATORY ATTACKS INCREASE
FBIbegins
By DAVID WHITING
The FBI revealed yesterday it has started an investi-
gation concerning a mysterious rise in the number of
respiratory arrests at the Veterans Administration
Hospital here.
At the same time hospital Administrator Arnold
Mouish announced that the institution was limiting
admissions to only emergency cases pending the in-
vestigation.
HOSPITAL ASSISTANT Chief of Staff Gary Calhoun
stated yesterday that the staff has observed 34 cases
in which patients have stopped breathing since July 28,
but no fatalities have been attributed to those arrests.
Foul play has not been ruled out, but the undeter-
mined cause of the rise in respiratory arrests could
be accidental, Calhoun emphasized. He cited hot
weather and possible procedural errors in administer-
ing intravenous medications as two reasons which
could account for the increase.
It has been reported that several patients at the
hospital stopped breathing after apparently receiving
injections of the wrong medicine.
probe ofV.,
WHILE THE FBI refused to elaborate on their in-
vestigation, Special Agent Bob Knapp said yesterday
the reports of alleged injections of wrong medicines
were the "basis" and "essence" of the bureau's study.
Calhoun said that he had not heard of the incorrect
injection reports.
The 34 respiratory attack cases involved 23 patients,
with the most recent case occurring Saturday, Calhoun
said.
NO COMMON denominators amongst the cases have
been discovered yet. Calhoun said, "They (respiratory
attacks) have occurred in seven different areas of the
buildings."
More of the respiratory attacks have been reported
in the hospital's intensive care unit. But Calhoun ex-
plained that this is expected because patients in the
worst condition-and therefore more subject to attack-
are placed there.
The hospital began its own investigation into the rise
in respiratory attacks some weeks ago, but has not
found anything conclusive yet. "We're still in the
process of collecting information . . . and verifying
A. hospital
medicine labels," Calhoun said. He added that he ex-
pects the hospital's study to be completed sometime
today or tomorrow.
Calhoun said that the temporary restrictive admis-
sions policy is to allow the hospital staff to better
observe and treat the patients already there. He added
that all in-patients have been notified about the rise
in respiratory attacks.
DURING THE past three weeks-the time when the
hospital was experiencing the sharp rise in respiratory
attacks-seven patients died. However, Calhoun em-
phasized that this is a normal mortality rate there.
He did say that the hospital currently has an unus-
ually high number of extremely ill patients, but that
this is not sufficient to account for the increase in
respiratory attacks.
FBI agent Knapp said that the bureau was requested
to launch the investigation by hospital officials.
Calhoun said that hospital officials have no reason
to believe any laws have been broken. "We have no
evidence to point to that as yet," he said.
FEA forecasts
3 cent gasoline
price increase
WASHINGTON I)-The Federal Energy Administration said
yesterday the expected end of oil price controls, eased by re-
moval of import fees, would add no more than three cents per
gallon to consumer petroleum prices.
This official estimate was presented by Deputy Administrator
Eric Zausner, who said he thought the world oil market would
not allow price increases that would cancel out the removal of
U.S. import fees.
THE OFFICIAL estimate was in line with earlier unofficial
reports on the expected impact of the removal of controls.
The controls, which now limit the price of about 60 per cent
of U.S. domestic oil to $5.25 per barrel, {vere due to expire Aug. 31.
This would allow the price to increase to prevailing market
levels of around $12 per barrel.
This increase alone, Zausner
said, would add about six cents
per gallon to the average price OnC0 VH
of gasoline, fuel oil and other
petroleum products in the
United States. l a
BUT PRESIDENT F o r d has l8
said he would soften the blow
by removing fees of $2-per-bar-
rel which he imposed on im-
ported crude oil earlier this
year. Zausner said this would
reduce the consumer price by
about three censper gallon. LISBON, Portugal (.z') - Pre-
Thus, he said, the net effect mier Vasco Goncalves threw
of price decontrol and fee re- the weight of his office yester-
moval would be a three-cent in, day into a campaign to save
crease per gallon. Portugal's pro-Communist rev-
Zausner said, however, that olution.
the cost of residual fuel oil burn- In his first public appear-
ed by electric power plants and ance in nearly two months, he
other large installations prob- was addressing a rally in Al-
ably would not rise, so the price mada, a Communist industrial
of other petroleum products stronghold across the Tagus es-
might increase a little more tutary from Lisbon.
than threecents to maintain HOWEVER, the center Popu-
that average. lar Democrat Party - PPD -
MEANWHILE, Sen. L o w e It also scheduled a rally, at Cal-
Weicker (R-Conn.) was boosting das da Rainha near the town
the cause of those who would of Alcobaca, where 20 persons
rather see rationing than higher were shot or stoned in left-
prices as a way to force con- right clashes last weekend.
servation. There were fears the PPD
In Hartford, Conn., Weicker might assault Communist head-
predicted gasoline at $1 per gal- quarters in Caldas da Rainha,
lon in the near future unless setting off another gun battle
Congress acts quickly. such as the one that bloodied
Weicker said rationing would Alcobaca.
See FEA, Page 7 See GONCALVES, Page 7
AP Photo
JOHN BALES of Seattle, Washington chose the easy way to hitchhike to Central America yes-
terday. He told the photographer that holding out his thumb all the way would be too much, and
besides, the glove gets more attention.
'U' officials devise defic it budget
around shortage Of $1.6 million
By BILL TURQUE was also cut from the University's utilities allo-
University officials, faced with a gaping $1.6 cation, possibly to be restored sometime next
million shortfall in this year's operating fund, are year.
devising a deficit budget for this fall. Asked if he thought that legislators were acting
"We'll have a budget this fall with expenses in bad faith by making the last minute cut,
greater than revenues," said Frank Rhodes, Uni- Rhodes said he held no ill will toward the law-
versity vice president for academic affairs. "And makers.
we'll have to find some way to balance the two," "They've had their problems too," he said.
he added.
UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Robben Fleming IN A STATEMENT issued after the Saturday
and other executive officers discussed the plan meeting, Rhodes indicated that the tuition in-
for deficit budgeting at an emergency Saturday creases and staff pay raises approved at the
meeting following last week's unexpected severe July Regent's would not be altered to help.elimi-
cut in the University's state appropriation for nate the deficit.
fiscal year 1975-76. The shortfall w o u 1 d be dealt with by "at-
State legislators made a final 1.5 per cent cut tempting to rely on the state's committment for,
in the higher education bill, producing a new $1.6 later reimbursement of our utilities costs, and
million deficit for the University. Another $403,000 See 'U,' Page 7