4
Ovcrct:! iAzz
Variable cloudiness
predicted this morning with
clearing expected this
afternoon.
Ycrrr out!
Guess who was fired 3
rmtneger of ths New Ycrk
Ynkecs...g-in. S3ps33 5.
s
v
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
Vc'yrrta C7, Iseuo f Jo. E3s
o
k.V' "t, -Ka
-j
By MELANIE SILL
Staff Writer
A UNC professor is studying the offspring of women who were
given a controversial drug in the 1950s that was thought to
prevent miscarriages a drug which might have caused serious
damage to the reproductive systems of the female children of
those women.
The synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol, better known as
DES, was given to an estimated two to four million women
between 1941 and 1971. Despite a report published in 1953 by a
University of Chicago researcher showing that DES was of no
benefit in preventing miscarriages, the drug continued to be
prescribed to pregnant women until reports in 1971 tied DES to a
rare form of cancer in female offspring of women given the drug '
during pregnancy.
Because of growing concern among persons whose mothers
had been given DES during pregnancy, Dr. Wesley Fowler,
associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UNC
School of Medicine, in '1973 formed an informal group of
patients concerned about the effects of the drug.
. "The press had girls absolutely petrified,' Fowle.r said.
"Patients for fear of dying of cancer even had to go under
pyschiatric treatment."
The group of patients, which Fowler calls a DES clinic, now
numbers : approximately 400. Although clear-cell cancer
associated with DES has been found to be extremely rare,' Fowler
said research has shown that a number of abnormalities and
other problems in the reproductive systems of offspring of DES
recipients may be linked to the drug.
"There seem to be a number of unanswered problems
associated with DES," Fowler said. "For instance, the number
of abnormal pap smears among our patients seems much higher
than we'd expect in an average population."
Fowler and three other researchers have compiled a report of
the reproductive history of 276 female offspring of women w ho
received DES during pregnancy. A major conclusion of the
report, which will appear in the medical journal Fertility and
Sterility, is that "DES, given to mothers in hopes of maintaining
threatened pregnancies, appears to Jave a deleterious effect on
the reproductive ability of the female offspring."
Of 105 women studied who attempted pregnancy, there were
129 conceptions and 58 live births a fetal loss of 43 percent for
the first pregnancy and 37 percent for all pregnancies. Also, in the
subgroup of women with anatomic abnormalities linked with
DES, the fetal loss was 53 percent.
"The basic questions raised are why DES-exposed women
have irregular menstrual flows, why they have trouble getting
pregnant and why they have trouble maintaining pregnancy,"
Fowler said.
Menstrual and structural abnormalities identified in the study,
such as vaginal adenosis (an abnormality of genital tissue),
cervical hoods, uterine cavity abnormalities and tubal and or
ovulatory defects, may have been associated with the reported
reproductive difficulties, the report stated.
. Of the women studied with infertility problems enduring for
more than 18 months, less than 10 percent subsequently
conceived, the report said. Uterine cavity abnormalities were
found in at least 60 percent of those examined and a variety of
tubal and or ovalutory defects also were present.
The findings of the study, which is being conducted on a
continuing basis using patients in the DES clinic, stimulated
interest in a DES Infertility Clinic, which probably will be ,
instituted within a few months. Fowler said.
"What's happening" is that patients are getting old enough to
want to know what the effects of this drug on them are going to
be," he said.
DES itill is given as a post-coital contraceptive at the UNC
Student Health Service andas an estrogen during menopause and
for hormonal manipulation of certain cancers at hospitals in the
United States, Fowler said.
"If it's given as a morning-after pill to prevent pregnancy and it
succeeds in preventing pregnancy, then there's no problem,"
Fowler said. "If not, the fetus has the same risks as other DES
exposed individuals.
"When your back's against the wall and somebody's dying of
cancer, you're going to do what is reasonable to save that
person's life. If DES is the answer, you're going to prescribe it."
Before being given DES as an emergency "morning after" pill,
patients at the University's Student Health Service must sign a
written consent form. Information concerning possible adverse
side effects of the drug must be read before the form is signed.
"The estrogen treatment may be associated with nausea and
vomiting," the information sheet states. "Further, there is recent
information suggesting a possible correlation between estrogen
medication in pregnant mothers and the development of
childhood cancer in female offsprings.
"An individual receiving the MAP (Morning After Pill)
treatment should recognize the possible danger and be prepared
to accept the medical recommendation that she have an abortion
if the treatment should fail and a pregnancy result."
A New York State Supreme Court jury ruled in July that the
Eli Lilly drug company, a manufacturer of DES, must pay
$500,000 to Joyce Bichler, whose mother was given DES in 1953
to stop vaginal bleeding during her pregnancy with Joyce. Joyce
later developed cancer and had to have her uterus, ovaries and
two-thirds of her vagina removed. The Bichler decision, the first
case in which a DES victim won a major victory' against a drug
manufacturer, is under appeal.
"There are many, many cases before the courts now," Fowler
said. "1 don't know of any of my patients w ho are involved in
lawsuits, although I have had inquiries about them."
In addition to examining and treating patients through the
oncology division of North Carolina Memorial Hospital, the
DES clinic tries to be responsive to letters received. Fouler said.
-f t rt r lea irAMi .Anmr Is . 1
-wj iu t. v&ijr jwspuiijivc iu uiquuics oy answering
inquiries and special problems," Fowler said. "We do a lot of
talking about DES."
Widesnread administration of DES occurred in urban areas in
the northern and northeastern United States, and gradually
spread to other areas, Fowler said.
"It wasn't given commonly in North Carolina," he said. "Most
cf our patients were born up North and moved down Souih...Ve
get primarily students and members of the military population
from certain areas in the state."
Much major research has been done regarding the effects of
the drug on female offspring,1 although there have been
indications of problems involving the lower urinary tracts,
smaller testicles and lower sperm counts than normal in DES
sons, Fowler said.
"As I see things in 1979, cancer is the least risk of DES
exposure," Fowler said. The abnormal pap smears, the
infertility problem and the urinary tract abnormalities are
occurring at a greater frequency than we'd imagine would be
normal."
More information about the DES clinic may be obtained
through Fowler's office in 5003 Old Clinic Building or by calling
933-1194.
Lawmakers
)t gctiooi
Nation
dD
de'resml
I
By ANGIE DORMAN
Staff Writer
Some state legislators have said they
made a mistake when they voted in May
to deregulate the state's non-public
schools.
41 After
contemplating the
- situation, that's one
vote I wish I could
change," state Sen.
Russell Walker of
Asheboro said
Monday. "I think
we're going to have
to take another look
-at it bscause of the
conflicts that have
Russell Walker emerged." Walker,
who is chairman of
the state Democratic Party, and state
Sen. Charles Vickery represent Orange
County in the General Assembly.
During its 1979 session, the General .
Assembly passed a bill which took away
most of the state Board of Education's
authority to regulate the state's non
public schools. Lobbyists for the
fundamentalist Christian schools argued
that the state was violating their freedom
of religion as long as they had to meet
requirements for state teacher
certification, standardized curriculum
and a traditional school calendar.
Since the legislation was passed, 32
maverick schools have registered with the
state's Office of Non-Public Schools.
They range from traditional church
affiliated schools to children of one
family or several being taught with mail
order materials.
State education officials say the
Compulsory Attendance Law is
becoming less effective and they can not
take action without some legislative
changes.
"The situation is unreasonable and
there is nothing we can do unless some
legislative changes give the state school
boahl more authority," William W. Peek, .
See MAVERICK on page 2
24k(0Mr vigiitsntidDB plain
Leutze, Schofield, McCain, dicuss "bTHfdyJames
24-hour visitation.
By MARTHA WAGGONER
Staff Writer
The Housing Advisory Board approved 24-hour weekend
visitation in University residence halls at its meeting Monday.
The board's recommendation now goes to the Department of
Housing and to Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs Donald
Boulton for final approval.
The recommendation allows for open visitation 10 a.m. Friday
through 1 a.m. M onday. Currently, visitation hours on weekends
are noon to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
The proposal for open weekend visitation came from a report
prepared by the Residence Hall Association last spring. The
board earlier approved a shortening of dormitory quiet hours.
The vote for 24-hour visitation was 6 to 3, with two members of
the board absent. Students Eli McCullough, Beth Schofield,
Mitch Cox and Bob Cramer voted in favor of the proposal.
Professors Lou Lipsitz and Oscar Wilde also voted with the
majority.
Student member Eloise McCain, Professor James Leutze and
chairperson Sharon Meginnis voted against extending the hours.
"I'm in favor of it (the proposal) with some conditions,"
Meginnis said. "I'd like some attention paid to intimate living
relations and guidelines arid tools to use in negotiating those
relations."
The board agreed to include the votes of the two members who
were absent from Monday's meeting in the report. Professor Ike
Candidate en do rsement diffic ult-fo r
Reynolds and Rankin Harris, who is with the University
Placement Services, were not present.
Leutze proposed that the board send both majority and
minority reports to the vice chancellor. Meginnis said she will
include her suggestions for changes in that report.
Dorm residents have the right to vote to shorten the visitation
hours approved by the University, however, said James D.
Condie, director of University housing. But Leutze said he
doubted many dorms will decide to shorten the 24-hour
visitation. "What the University says is some indication of how
the University thinks it should be," he said.
Part 3 of the RHA report proposed that a judiciary board be
formed to make recommendations for disciplinary action when a
resident violates residence hall rules and regulations. However,
The Instrument for Student Governance states that "no offense
shall be recognized or disciplinary sanction imposed on any
student ' except as" provided in 'this Instrument.. Condie said
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs James Canslcr has
interpreted this paragraph to mean that no other judicial courts
may be set up to apply punitive actions other than the ones set
forth in the instrument.
RHA President William Porterfield said the judiciary board
would not apply punitive actions but would make
recommendations to the vice chancellor. Schofield said the
Housing Advisory Board needs to specify why the judiciary
board should be set up and what violations it would consider,
however. .
Caucus
Mlack
By ANNE-MARIE DOWNEY
Staff Writer
"I've seen some good races before but this beats
all," David Hinds said Sunday as he looked at the
lineup of Chapel Hill mayoral candidates at the
South Orange Black Caucus candidates forum.
Hinds, chairman of the caucus, said the
community and black voters in particular will have
to make a difficult choice on Nov. 6 among the four
candidates for mayor Town Council members
Gerry Cohen and Robert Epting; Joe Nassif, former
chairman of the Orange County Board of Elections;
and Harold Foster, a former civil rights activist.
. The mayoral hopefuls discussed issues confronting
the black community, and they all stressed their
commitments to human rights in Chapel Hill. The
black caucus will endorse candidates for Orange
County offices on the basis of candidates' views of
issues affecting blacks.
Northside residents are concerned about the
possibility that the area will change from a residential
section for low-income families into a higher priced
neighborhood for University students. Northside is
the area of town Which borders Carrboro. It
traditionally has been a low-income neighborhood.
Ted Parrish, chairman of the Chapel Hill Housing
Board, asked the candidates what they would do to
provide low-cost housing, and said as it stands now
"whoever has the most bucks, gets the most (housing)
units." "
. Epting said he has suggested that the town
investigate the possibility of obtaining single family
dwellings instead of apartment complexes for public
housing. Most of the town's federally funded public
housing currently b in apartments.
The key to improving the housing situation, Nassif
said, is to work for more federal funding.
In order to solve the housing problem, Cohen said.
the town has to encourage the University to build
more student housing.
"That will take the demand off this
neighborhood," he said.
Because he lives in the Northside area and faces the
same problems as the residents, Foster said he would
work for them if he became mayor.
"I hope you remember those who have struggled
with you and vote them on," Foster said.
The issue of the continuing growth of Chapel Hill
was the focus of the Town Council candidates'
discussion.
While he said he wants to direct the growth of
Chapel Hill, Jonathan Howes said: "I don't want to
be the one to call the name of the last person to enter
Chapel Hill."
"We aren't talking about stopping growth, we're
talking about managing it," incumbent R.D. Smith
said.
Candidate Bruce Tindall, a member of the town
transportation board, said the town has to continue
to grow or the housing problems will never be solved.
Joseph Straley.aUniversity physics professor, said
he opposed the construction of the Interstate 40 link
near Chapel Hill and the Town Council's request to
the state Department of Transportation that a
southern bypass be built around the town. The roads
would only encourage more growth, Straley said.
But Mayor James Wallace disagreed with Straley
about the planned southern loop.
"I'd like to see us be an island and divert traffic
around us," Wallace said.
"One day in the course of days, we will be one
community, and that will be very appropriate," he
said. Joe Herzenbcrg said he would give priority to
acquiring open-space land in the Northside area in
planning future growth.
State able to avoid
most economic ills
By JONATHAN RICH
Staff Writer
Although North Carolina consumers
may be feeling the pinch of an economic
recession, state economists say the state
itself, is faring surprisingly well during the
economic slump.
Consumer-oriented industry will
suffer, but the new industries flocking to
the state have bolstered the economy and
the employment figures, contributing to
the mildness of the recession in North
Carolina, government economists say.
"Recently, there has been a
tremendous influx of new industry in the
state, especially in non-traditional areas
such as metal working, electronics and
computers," said Ken Flynt, chief
economic adviser to Gov. Jim Hunt. "We
shall continue to build and expand
regardless of a recession. This industrial
development will in fact act as a buffer
against a recession."
Nine months into 1979, industrial
development investments have exceeded
$2 billion. The state Department of
Industrial . Development expects the
year's total to reach $3 billion, tripling the
$1 billion ivested in 1976.
Meanwhile, business activity and
employment, usually the first to become
sluggish in an economic slowdown, have
increased in the state in recent months
while suffering nationally.
"We are experiencing a consumer
recession," Flynt said. "Consumers are
feeling the effects of inflation and are
buying less. Unfortunately, we have a
consumer-oriented industry, with half of
all manufacturers selling directly to the
consumer."
Mike Rakovskas of the state
Department of Industrial Resources
agreed that normally the state economy
would suffer as revenue to the consumer
industries dropped.
"North Carolina's traditional problem
is its high dependence on non-durable
goods, such as textiles, food, furniture,
and tobacco," Rakovskas said. "During
a recession consumers cut back on
expenditures of these items."
The state industrial index ranks textiles
as the largest industry in terms of profits
from out-of-state sales inNorth Carolina.
The textile industry is followed by
Sea ECONOMY on peg 3 2
135
1:3
155
153
m
K3
135
133
125
12:
UpU 79 - 157.3?
Aug., 79 - 155.2
July, 79 - 154 J '
Sspt 78-1518 . . .
-Preliminary r-Rtvisttf
9
ntl - 123
ktuiXi far pricr
aid uuMii f; t
1 I 11 I 1 -
74 75
73
77
73
73
Index shc.vs tncrcr:o In tu:!rc:3 i!vly
...indicates N.C. doing well dcpitD recession
Parks commission
71 n
11
71
1
By JOHN ROYSTER
SUIT Writer
The Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation
Commission announced yesterday that it
is opposed to the 5 3 CO, COO Ridgefield
land acquisition bond issue.
The referendum, to be voted on in next
Tuesday's municipal election, would
allow for the town of Chapel Hill to buy
about 69 acres of land in the RidgtHeld
area, which is across the U.S. 15501
Bypass from University Mall
The referendum, if approved, would
provide $300,000 for the purchase of .the
land.
The tract would be used by the town for
"passive recreation,' said Chick White,
chairman cf the Parks and Rf-rcation
Commission.
If the referendum is not passed, the
Parks and Recreation Cr" -l:uon, the
town Planning Doard ar.J the Town
Council will sit down and tomz up with
new proposal for next irjrs." White
said.
The problem with the present
proposal b that most cf the land U a
swamp," White said. "So it provides not
for active, but passive recreation "
White said a different proper! would
proviie for both active zr.i pauive
recreation andmeetthe r.ecdicf various
sectors of Chapel Hill.
This (next week's referendum) really
satisfies the needs of only a
lubcommunity (located adjacent to the
Ridgcfield tract)," White said.
A 10-acre subdivision hai been
proposed for the area.
In a statement released after its 6-2 vote
ainst the referendum, the Parks and
Recreation Commission said: "The
Ridtficld neighborhood also urgrd that
preenways be put through this property.
However, grcenwayi can best be acquired
through the acquisition cf casements
rather than by the expensive purchase cf
the total property.
This year's initiative to acquire the
RidsefieU land resulted from oppo,:tb.n
to proposed subdivision rather V n
from overall pbr.i for cpen ip;ce in J
recreational needs cf the ton ? a
whole."
The Planning Board and the
Recreation Ccmmusloa have t:tn
uiherk:i by the Town Council to find
potential areas for sequhhbn by Chapel
Hill fcr recreational purport after the
current referendum was put en the ballot
by the Town Council
Proponents of the lind acquisition
bond have sat J the town's voters should
net pr.i up the of portur.lty to save cpen
J jp v fw -iA Ti '-S