nunn Intercom Duke University Medical Center VOLUME 24, NUMBER 39 SEPTEMBER 30,1977 DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA Valued Friends Med Center Weekend Guests Members of the Davison Club will receive an "Update on Medical Progress" during the annual Davison Qub Weekend today and tomorrow. The agenda also includes a business meeting, luncheon with President Terry Sanford and the Duke-Navy football game. "This is an opportunity for these valued friends to return to campus and to be brought up to date on the medical center, and for us to say thank you to them," said R.C. (Bucky) Waters, assistant to the vice New Publication To Focus On Medical Center People When you think of the medical center, do you think just of buildings and equipment or do you think of people? Especially the people you work with every day? Those people will be the focus of a new biweekly newsletter for medical center employees that will begin publication on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the medical center every other Wednesday, will feature photographs and stories about medical center people, events, goals, policies and benefits. In the first issue employees will be asked to help choose a name for their newsletter. Other opportunities will be provided for employees to participate through suggesting or writing articles and questions for discussion in the publication. Intercom, which has won several awards this year, will continue to go to all university faculty and to community leaders as well as being distributed each Friday in the medical center. "Intercom has been so well received by people outside the medical center that we want to refocus it to serve that function better," said Dr. William G. Anlyan, vice president for health affairs. It will emphasize the academic and professional side of the medical center. Ina Fried, editor of Intercom for the past year, will become editor of the new publication. John Becton, public relations assistant since September 1976, will become editor of Intercom beginning with next week's issue. Research Begins On Cancer Risk By William Erwin Researchers at the Comprehensive Cancer Center have begun a three-year study to leam who is most likely to get multiple myeloma. The study could suggest ways to prevent the disease, said Dr. Seymour Grufferman, who has won an $89,000 grant from the National Cancer Institute for the project. It also could help explain why Wake and Orange counties have higher multiple myeloma death rates than the nation as a whole. Although the number of deaths is still small. Orange has three times the national death rate for the disease. Wake's rate is twice the national figure. Multiple myeloma attacks the bone marrow. It also weakens patients to the point that an infection such as pneumonia can be fatal. Rarely striking before age 30, the disease peaks in the elderly, Grufferman said. Patients often complain of fatigue or frequent (Qontinued on page 3), i president for health affairs and executive director of the Davison Club. Digits and Disease The medical talks will be given tomorrow morning in a session moderated by Dr. Eugene A. Stead Jr., Florence McAlister Professor of Medicine. Dr. James Urbaniak, professor of orthopaedic surgery, will speak on "Replantation of Fingers and Hands," and a talk entitled "Is Human Cancer Transmissable?: The Saga of Hodgkin's Disease," will be given by Comprehensive Cancer Center faculty member Dr. Seymour Grufferman, assistant professor of community and family medicine and pediatrics. The Davison Club, a donor organization whose members each pledge at least $1,000 annually to the School of Medicine, was founded in 1%9 to honor the late Dr. Wilburt C. Davison, Duke's first dean of medicine. Growth of Club Waters said the membership has doubled during the past four years and that the club contributed $172,000 this past year, compared with $19,500 during its first year of existence. The total contributed since 1%9 is $729,990. Currently there are more than 200 members representing 23 states and the District of Columbia. "About 60 per cent are alumni of the medical school," Waters said. "Twenty per cent are former house staff officers, and 20 j>er cent are friends, grateful patients and others who wish to see continued excellence in private medical education and health care." Med. Center Members Waters’ noted that 17 medical center faculty and administrators are active members. "We are especially grateful for this because it means so much to the expansion of this vital group as we reach out to our alumni and friends across the country," he said. Davison Club members are listed on plaques at the entrance to the yellow zone from the hospital lobby, near the hospital chapel. Dr. Emile L. Gebel (M.D. '62) of Shelby is the current president. Dr. G.B. Hodge of Spartanburg, S.C., is vice president and Dr. Hugo L. Deaton of Hickory is secretary-treasurer. This weekend's activities begin tonight with a reception at the home of Dr. and Mrs. William G. Anlyan. President and Mrs. Sanford will host the group in their home tomorrow evening prior to a dinner in the Union Ballroom. Approximately 175 club members, spouses and guests are expected. IHt WINNER — Joan Lunsford won first prize in Intercom's vacation ■contest. Her vaca tion story is printed on page four, along with an article an nouncing all the contest's winners. (Ptioto by /ohn Bec ton)