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Duke University Medical Center
VOLUME 24, NUMBER 36
SEPTEMBER 9,1977
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
To Prevent Hepatitis
Physicians Prescribe Caution
NOTTHIS WAY—Environmental service
workers are sometimes stuck by needles
thrown carelessly in the trash instead of
being placed in the proper receptacles.
Symposium Focuses
On Mothers^ Infants
Better health care for mothers and
their infants will be the topic under
discussion Wednesday through
Friday as physicians and nurses from
across the Carolinas and Virginia
meet at the medical center.
Some 350 health professionals will
attend the 22nd annual Angus M.
McBryde Perinatal Symposium
being sponsored jointly by Duke's
Division of Perinatal Medicine and
the Division of Health Services of the
North Carolina Department of
Human Resources.
“Basically, this is an educational
opportunity for doctors and nurses
who are trying to improve maternal
and infant health," said Dr. Lillian
Blackmon, an associate professor
who is coordinator of the event. "The
symposium forms a part of North
Carolina's Regionalized Perinatal
Health Care Program."
Thirty talks and seminars will
focus on specific infant diseases, the
placenta, infant metabolism, feeding
practices, drug addiction,
(Continued on page 3)
By David Williamson
Concerned about the rising
incidence of hepatitis B in North
Carolina and across the United
States, two medical center physicians
are urging all hospital and research
personnel to familiarize themselves
with the disease and the safety
precautions that can effectively
prevent its spread.
In an interview last week, Drs.
Suydam Osterhout, chairman of the
Hospital Infections Committee here,
and John Hamilton, chief of
infectious diseases at the VA, said
that hepatitis B is a viral illness
associated with human blood and
blood products that is frequently
hospital related.
They said it should not be
confused with the milder infectious
hepatitis (hepatitis A) that is
contracted by swallowing
contaminated food or fluids.
Attacks the Liver
Hepatitis B, also knowm as serum
hepatitis, attacks the liver and
usually takes from three to six
months to develop after contact,
Osterhout explained. When
symptoms are present, they can
include nausea, vomiting, loss of
appetite, a general feeling of sickness
and sometimes a characteristic
jaundice or yellowing of the skin.
In about five per cent of the cases,
it can lead to total liver failure and
death, he said.
"Hepatitis B is a major public
health problem and a significant
occupational hazard for anyone who
works with patients or patient
specimens," Osterhout said.
High Risk
Physicians, nurses and
individuals employed in clinical
chemistry, hematology, the blood
bank, microbiology, the autopsy
service, the I.V. team and the dialysis
stations are the highest risk groups,
he pointed out, but medical and
nursing students, environmental
• service personnel and research
laboratory technicians also may be
exposed.
"Currently there is no medicine
like an antibiotic that can cure
hepatitis B," the microbiologist said.
"Rest, a good diet and tincture of
time are the usual suggested
treatment."
How does a hospital worker
contract hepatitis B?
"The most common way is to be
stuck by a needle that has been used
on a patient Who has active hepatitis
B, or who is a carrier of it without
recognizable symptoms," Hamilton
said. "Other ways include
accidentally spilling blood or blood
products over an open cut, ingesting
them through a pipette or splashing
them into the eyes or the nose."
What To Do
He said that after any of these
exposures, an individual should first
'alert his or her supervisor who will
fill out an incident report. The
exposed person should then visit the
Employee Health substation on the
ground floor of the hospital opposite
the Emergency Room.
"At the substation, Julie Falconer,
a registered nurse, will attempt to
track down the source of the blood to
determine if the patient it came from
has a positive test for hepatitis B," he
said.
If the patient does carry the virus,
then the employee will be tested to
see if he or she is already immune to
it. Anyone who is found not to ble
immune will be given gamma
globulin that contains antibodies to
the disease.
(Continued on page 4)
THIS VV/AV — Proper disposal of used
needles will help to prevent the spread
of hepatitis B, a viral illness associated
with human blood that is frequently
hospital related.
One Contribution Aids Many
BRAIN STORMING—Gene Winders and Bucky Waters, who are co-chairing this
year's medical center United Fund Drive, discuss plans for the campaign. (Photo by
John Becton)
With one contribution you can
help senior citizens, children, the
handicapped and the indigent. As
long as that contribution goes to the
United Fund.
The medical center United Fund
campaign begins with a kick-off
breakfast Wednesday, Sept. 14, at
9:45 a.m. in the Courtyard Dining
Room.
Designated representatives from
each of the 159 pay points will hear
brief talks by C. Lawrence Rogers,
executive director of the Durham
United Fund; Henry Lougee,
chairman of the 1977 Durham
campaign; and Jeff Mullins, assistant '
athletic director and chairman of the
overall campaign for Duke.
Medical Center Goal
The medical center's goal this yeai"
is $46,305, a five per cent increase
over last year, according to Gene
Winders, business manager in the
Department of Pathology, and Bucky
Waters, assistant to the vice
president for health affairs, who are
co-chairing the drive in the medical
center.
"We met our goal last year and
hope everybody will give a little
more so we can meet it again this
year," Winders said.
Thirty-two agencies receive
support from the United Fund.
Among the largest recipients are the
American Red Cross, the YMCA and
YWCA, Family Counseling Services
and Salvation Army Boys' Club.
"Contributions of all sizes are
appreciated. Even nickels and dimes
help," Winders said. There are three
ways of giving.
How To Give
Cash or checks may be paid
directly to the Durham United Fund
or a person may request direct
billing from the United Fund office.
But payroll deduction is the most
popular method of payment.
Payroll deduction allows people to
give regularly in small amounts for a
larger total contribution than they
might give all at one time.
"If someone says he or she will
give $10, that sounds like a lot," said
Winders. "But if they pledged just 50
cents per pay period, that would
amount to $13 in a year.
Someone earning $80 a week could
donate just 47 cents each week for a
total pledge of $24.
Over 300 medical center
contributors gave $50 or more last
year. Those doing so are honored as
"Pacesetters" and receive
recognition pins.
This year's campus-wide goal of
$102,000 represents a five per cent
increase over last year's goal.