Tuesda, %Augut ",0- 9 lb L1IL I1V11 /"ilAt ikLMi'ILTN ruy rlver Tuesday, August 3, 1976 THE MIC;HIUAN DAILY voge seven Mysterious 'flu' kills 15 at Philadelphia convention HARRISBURG, Pa. .1P)-An unknown disease with symptoms resmebling flu has killed at least 15 persons who attended a state American Legion convention in Philadelphia late last month, state and legion officials said yesterday. At least 50 other persons were hospitalized, some in serious condition. All had similar symptoms-chills, fever and chest ailments. OFFICIALS IN Philadelphia, where one million Catholics have gathered from around the world for a week-long conference, called a news conference. They said they had found no evidence of an epidemic, and state Health Secretary Leonard Bachman agreed, saying, "There's no cause for any panic." Bachman said the deaths apparently were caused by a virus. Asked if it could be swine flu, he said, "that's a possibility." "I don't think we can take any precautions until we find out what we're dealing with. That's the important priority at this moment. It's like a detective investigation," Bachman said. A SPECIAL team of investigators flew to Harrisburg from the federal Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta to try to identify the disease. State health officials predicted it would take at least three days. Joseph Adams, commander of the state American legion, said persons who attended the convention and who feel ill should contact health officials. "We're worried right now-really worried--about the people who may be carrying around this disease and not know it," said Adams. Adams said he was especially concerned "about the people who have a temperature or a headache and just take a couple of aspirin and don't do anything about it. Those are the people we want to get to the hospital." THE DEAD were among 10,000 legionnaires who attended the convention July 21 to 24. Philadelphia's Bellevue Stratford Hotel was the headquarters for the convention, but legionnaires stayed at numerous hotels in the city. Initially, there were fears of food poisoning, but that was all but ruled out. "It doesn't seem to be related to food poisoning ...They have flu symptoms. It looks like flu," said Bob Costello, a spokes- man for Bachman. Many of the victims became ill within a day or two after returning home from the convention. Several died late last week and some died as late as yesterday. FRANK AVENI, 60, of Clearfield died Iriday. He had gone to work July 26, the Monday following the convention. "Frank came in and said he was cold. Ile had chills. So he went home," said Dave Campolong, manager of the plant where Aveni worked. Aveni's physician, Dr. Roger Hughes, said the case appeared to he flu. "le vhad several influenza deaths over the last 30 years and there are some influenza symptoms here," Hughes said. "First you get a cold, and the next thing you know you're sicker than hell and the next thing you're dead," Hughes said. He said he was also treating another legionnaire with the same symptoms. James Dolan, 39, of Williamstown died Sunday. "Jimmy was sick down there," Dolan's brother Richard said of the convention. "He coughed around and complained the whole three days. And each day it seemed to get worse. - ----------- TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. IN POWER CENTER Flood victims evacuated (Continued from Page1) Watson said. Two of those rescued were a five-year-old boy and his 14- month-old sister. Rescue work- ers said the unidentified boy told them he was watching the baby to make certain she didn't fall into the swirling waters. He did not say what happened to the rest of his family. Medical personnal at a vacant hospital hastily converted into a morgue struggled to identify the dead. The process was dif- ficult because most had been stripped of their clothes by the rampaging water, and doctors were fingerprinting the corpses for positive identification. ONLY A few were identified. One was Sgt. Hugh Purdy, 53, a 26-year veteran of the Colorado State Patrol. The pa- trol said it was uncertain how Purdy died after he went into the canyon Saturday night to investigate reports of the flood. Others included four mem- hers of a national Campus Cru- sade for Christ retreat at Estes Park. They were Carol Louise Rhoad, 23, Grantsville, Pa.; Rae Ann Johnston, 28, Crystal, N. 1.; Cathie Melissa Loomis, 29, Seattle, Wash.; and Pressy STU DENT Your attention is called to the following rules passed by the Regents at their meeting on February 28, 1936: "Stu- dents shall pay all accounts due the University not later than the lost day of classes of each semester or summer session. Student loans which are not paid or renewed are subject to this regulation; however, student loans not yet due are exempt. Any unpaid accounts at the close of business on the last day of classes will be reported to the Cashier of the University and "(a) A l academic credits will be withheld, the grades for the semester or summer session just completed will not he released, and no transcript at credits witt be issued. "s b)All students owing such accounts will not he allowed to register in any subseauent semester or sum- mer session until payment has been made.' Manongdo, about 25, of The Philippines. THE 37-MEMBER group had been at a training conference at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Thirty of them were rescued but three were still missing, a spokeksman said. Sheriff Watson expressed con- fidence that the people still stranded were mostly in good shape. "There're possibly some in- jured we haven't walked to yet," Watson said. The rest of those trapped were expected to fend for themselves after being organized into survival groups by 40 National Guardsmen who flew into the area Sunday aft- ernoon. He said guardsmen were un- able to bring food or medical supplies with them. With virtually all the known injured believed rescued, Capt. Rich Hovey of the sheriff's de- partment said rescuers were now an "equal - opportunity agency." , "Everybody is going to suf- fer his own hell up there," Ho- vey said. "At this stage, ex- cept for three coronaries we have up there, everybody's the same." SPECIAL DAILY MATINEES at 1-3-5-7-9:00 OPEN at 12:45 A 24 CaRROT SaLUT5 TO THE RESTOF LOOQEY TUES ntroduced b OORSON WELLES TONIGHT at 7 & 9 OPEN 6:45 Yvette inieux Finds the best screen .ole to dote. Sensatiinal." L.A. Times Is excellent." N.Y. "The best actinq of her co- 'er. Chica o Di y News - PREPARE TO BUST A GUT! 1TONIGHT at 7:00 & 9:00 TE COMEDY SMASHHI OPEN 6:45 TH E COMEDY SMASH H IT OF 1976! VI ' II- r- :3 ENDS TODAY- "GUS"&"BAMBI" SHOWS AT 1:00-4:00-7:00- 8:30 OPEN 12:45 STARTS TOMORROW G il551Techoicolor R R -PLUS- "The Apple Dumpling Gang" C TY NOTCE Attention Voters from Ward 1, Precinct 2, South Quad Your POLLING PLACE for the August 3, 1976, primary election has been moved from South Quad to WEST QUAD, 541 THOMPSON ST. a' Hedda Gabler (Carol Ann Skimin) spends a moment with her childhood rival Thea (Sally Bublitz) and Lovborg (John Wojda) in the Michigan Repertory's production of Ibsen's masterpiece, "HEDDA GABLER." Tickets are available through the Power Center Box Office, M-F 12:30-5 p.m. For more information call (313) 763-3333.