The Michigan Daily Vol. LXXXVI, No. 62-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Friday, August 6, 1976 Ten Cents Twelve Pages Flu ruled out in Pa. deaths PHILADELPHIA i)-Medical detectives scored their first breakthrough yesterday in their search for the cause of the "legionnaire's disease" that has killed 23 persons. They almost completely ruled out influenza, including swine flu, and suggested instead the disease may have been caused by a virus or a toxin, a chemi- cal agent that could be in such everyday items as plastics, paper or soap. A NEW CROP of cultures be- ing grown in a state laboratory here will be harvested this morning and should further pin down the exact cause of the disease. Federal investigators also headed into the downtown area to recreate the movements of the 161 victims at an Ameri- can Legion convention last month. They will test carpets, wall paper, air-conditioning and anything else that could lead to the cause. "There is a possibility that we will never find the answer," cautioned state Health Secretary Leonard Bachman. But he prom- ised to continue the investigation "for a year or two years if it is needed to get to the bottom of it.' All victims were connected in some way with the four-day con- vention. State health officials say they have no evidence yet of secondary infection, which would mean the disease is not contagious. RESULTS of the first crop of cultures grown in chicken em- bryoes at the state lab were announced at a news conference in Harrisburg. "There is no evidence that inflienza virus was present in those eggs," said Dr. Jay Staz, chief virologist of the State Health Dept. "I'm 99 per cent sure it's not a flu virus." "It may be another type of virus," Satz said, but if so, "it's going to be an unusual virus." BACHMAN said Satz and his team of 14 researchers, working nonstop since Monday and oc- casionally napping on cots near the rows of incubated eggs and baby mice, face the greatest danger. "We are using every precau- tion with our lab people," said Bachman. "They are particu- larly susceptible." The toll of victims increased Wednesday, but the increase was leveling off. Bachman said that was good news but claimed it was too early to see a defini- tive trend. One new death was reported, bringing the total to 23 since the first death last Fri- day. The hospital count was 138. BACHMAN said yesterday that no new cases of the disease have been reported since Tues- day. "Given the publicity that this has received, we believe the reporting system is good and we are optimistic," he said. If the disease, which has symptoms of fever, chills and lung congestion, was caused by a toxin, it's probably something that was spread through the air, Bachman said. BACHMAN said there is "acute viral pneumonia going on in Pennsylvania and through- out the country, but it has noth- ing to do with this." Some of the symptoms of the two are similar. If the disease is a virus, it may be difficult to ever pin down. A virus can change. At Ft. Dix, N.J., where swine flu was first isolated earlier this year, the virus killed one man and sickened several others, then changed into a tamer form. Several hundred other men were infected, but did not get sick. State Police will not oppose legal appeals for red squad files LANSING (UPI) - The State Police Department says it no longer will oppose legal re- quests by about 160 persons to see secret files compiled on their political activities. However, Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brown nonetheless has rejected a motion to open tip political files on about 50,000 others. THE FILES were gathered by the so-called State Police red squad under a 1950 Subversive Activities Act which was aimed at keeping tabs on persons who were felt to be a threat to the government. In truth, however, many files were kept on political activists who were involved in no criminal activ- ity. Brown last year declared the act unconstitutional and or- dered the red squad disband- ed. He said he also would or- der the files destroyed, but first would consider allowing surveil- lance victims to see their files, if they presented their request in a petition to the court. Only 276 persons filed peti- tions by the March 16 dead- line, and of those, only about 160 were actually on file with the State Police. MOST of the 160 persons who had petitioned Brown to see their files attended a court hearing Thursday on the ques- tion. The crowd, predominent- ly composed of young people, was so large that the hearing had to be held in the Lansing City Cotincil chambers. Brown revealed that the State Police and Attorney General's office, which had argued against opening up the files, had changed its mind and now did not Oppose the idea. IIEARING THE NEWS, at- torney Zolton 1-erency, who filed the original suit to get the red squad disbanded, asked Frown to force the State Police to notify all those who had been surveillance targets and show them their files. Ferenry said it would he ''entirel- 'unfair to limit exami- nation of those files to those who had oetitioned during the time stitilated by the court," lie said most red sqttad See RED, Page 2 'U' women can receive athletic scholarships By BILL STIEG U'iiversity wo, will receive athletic scholarships this fall for the first time i the school's history, the Athletic Deprtment confirmud yesterday. Detailsconcernin, th' schsolarships have not been worked out, but varsity wonen will definitely receive the grants on a limited basis for the coming school year. Michigan thus becomes the last of the Big Ten schools to adopt such a program. "THERE WILL be sen to ten scholarships given out," See WOMEN, Page 12 Nuts to you Stacey Britten, 12, of Calgary, Alberta is fed a peanut by a highly-skilled Rescue Squirrel. Such squirrels are being trained by the Canadian Armed Forces as part of their Wilderness Rescue Urogram.