t
li
m
Duke University
Medical Center
Intercom
VOL. 25, NO. 16
APRIL 21, 1978
DURHAM, N.C.
VA Hospital celebrates silver anniversary
m
A QUARTER-CENTURY OF SERVICE TO VETERANS—The Durham
Veteran's Administration Hospital, affiliated with Duke since it opened
April 6, 1953, has become known as one of the leading VA hospitals in
the country. (Photo fcy VA Medical Media Productions)
Here^s some good news and some bad news
By William Erwin
A Duke study released last week
contains some good news and some bad
for the estimated three million American
women taking estrogen replacement
drugs.
The study, conducted by physicians at
the Comprehensive Cancer Center,
suggests that estrogen replacement pills
offer some protection against a long list of
diseases, including heart attacks.
But these same drugs can also increase
a woman's risk of uterine cancer at least
three fold, the study shows.
There's more good news, however. By
taking pills mimicking the body's natural
progesterone hormone, an estrogen user
can bring her uterine cancer risk back
down to normal, the study indicates.
Researchers
These findings were contained in a
summary prepared for delivery at a
meeting of the American College of
Obstetrics and Gynecology in Los
Angeles.
Conducting the research were Dr.
Charles B. Hammond, professor of
obstetrics and gynecology (ob-gyn); Dr.
Frederick R. Jelovsek, assistant professor
of ob-gyn; Dr. Kerry L. Lee, assistant
professor of community and family
medicine; Dr. William T. Creasman,
professor of ob-gyn; and Dr. Roy T.
Parker, professor and department
chairman of ob-gyn.
Jelovsek presented the findings in Los
Angeles. Ayerst Laboratories, a maker of
estrogen drugs, partially sponsored the
study.
Prepare for egg
Estrogen is the primary female
hormone. Secreted by the ovaries, it
causes girls to develop into women and
makes the lining of the uterus thicken
each month as it prepares to receive a
fertilized egg.
Estrogen production ceases with the
menopause, when the ovaries stop
functioning. This happens between the
OUCH!!! - Twin
Detneshia Burnette (or
is it twin Temeshia?)
gives a playful tug on
Dr. Larry Mumford's
glasses at the Intensive
Iare Nursery Reunion
on April 12. The other
Burnette twin is
already preoccupied
with a strand of the
physician's hair.
Mumford is a fellow in
pediatric neonatology.
More photograph*
from the reunion are
on pages 2 and 3. (Photos
by Parker Herring)
ages of 45. and 55 for most women.
Menopause can begin earlier than 45,
however, if the ovaries must be removed
for any reason or if they stop working
prematurely.
(Conlinueii on page 31
The silver anniversary week for the
Veteran's Administration Hospital
concludes today with a tea for employees,
volunteers and friends of the hospital.
The bands from Durham and Northern
High schools will play during the event
which is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. on the
lawn in front of the VA Hospital.
Tlie VA Hospital has been affiliated
with Duke since it opened April 6, 1953,
and has been an enormous boon to the
medical school as a place where Duke
physicians, residents, nurses, technicians
and students work and learn.
During the past 25 years, the hospital
has gained the reputation of being one of
the best VA hospitals in the country.
Significant growth
When the hospital opened in 1953, it
had 120 beds and a professional staff of 24
full-time physicians, 65 residents and
Interns and 154 nurses. There were 600
employees.
Today, there are 501 beds and the
professional staff includes 205 faculty
and resident physicians from Duke and
251 RNs and LPNs. The number of
employees is 1,444.
The first major addition to the hospital
was the research wing, which was
dedicated in 1967.
Adjacent to the research area on the
basement floor, clinical space was
provided for a cobalt therapy machine
which recently was replaced by a linear
(Continued on page 21
mm