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Show Page Four THE SALT LAKE TIMES FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1973 First American Symposium Of Prevention of Epilepsy PSSM Ultraviolet Radiation Examined 4 s - (Continued fxam Page 1) The ultimate challenge of epilepsy is its prevention, said Dr. Madison H. Thomas, a Salt Lake City neurologist, in a paper presented last July at the Fifth European Symposium on Epilepsy held in London, England. Significantly, the concept of prevention will be the central topic for discussion at the First American Symposium on Prevention of Epilepsy and Its Consequences," scheduled March 1 at the Ramada Inn. The is a project of the 24th Western Institute on Epilepsy. A distinguished group of specialists is participating in the symposium, among them Dr. James M. Watson, president of the Western Institute on Epilepsy and associate professor of neurology, University of Oregon, and Dr. Thomas, vice president of the Epilepsy Foundation of America. The symposium is directed to a wide spectrum of professional workers in the social, educational and health fields, put the public is invited to attend a meeting tonight at 8:00 p.m. which has been arranged to discuss The Family and Epilepsy. The meeting, to be chaired by Ray D. Free of the Epilepsy Association of Utah, will be devoted to medical evaluation and treatment, educational and vocational training, and societal and human values and epilepsy. Dr. Thomas, in his presentation, pointed out how misconceptions about the causes of epi- 30-3- sym-posinu- aircraft, the panel concluded, although whether the SSTs would significantly alter the ozone in the atmosphere is still a subject of scientific debate. Because of the. radiation absorbing properties of ozone, a small decrease in ozone concentration would result in a large increase in ultraviolet radiation reaching nanometers the earths surface in the wavelength 280-32- 0 (billionths of a meter). A five percent decrease in ozone concentration, for example, would yield a 26 per cent increase in the intensity of the most biologically damaging ultraviolet radiation. This increase, it is estimated, would produce a minimum of 8,000 additional cases of the most common types of skin cancer per year in the United States. The estimate is derived from the progressively higher incidence of skin cancers near the equator where persons receive greater exposure to sunlight and where, in addition, UV radiation is more intense at temperate latitudes. Oceans Shrinking? The worlds oceans may be gradually shrinking, according to two scientists who have studied the chemistry of ancient oceanic rocks. Dr.. Clement G. Chase and Dr. Eugene C. Ferry, Jr., came to their conclusion about shrinking oceans after studying the composition of ancient cherts, sedimentary rocks composed of pure silica that once dissolved in the ancient oceans. They determined that the proportion of heavy oxy-ye- n to light oxygen atoms (oxygen atoms (oxygen-18- ) 16) inthe cherts changed with time during the past three billion years in a way that suggests that the volume of the oceans has been gradually decreasing during the same period. Geologists know that oceans of some kind have existed on earth for at least three billions years and most believe also that the water, nitrfogen and carbon dioxide now present in the earths oceans and atmosphere were transported to the surface from the earths interior by continuing volcanic activity. The oxygen in the atmosphere is a later development, having been produced from carbon dioxide by plants. According to this view, the oceans have been slowly increasing in volume because of continuing volcanic activity. However, the process of sea iloor spreading provides a way by which water could be removed from the oceans and taken into the earths mantle, the layer between the earths crust and core' New oceanic crust is created by undersea volcanic activity along the midocean ridges, is carried away from the ridges, and dives back down into the mantle near the edges of some ocean basins. If this oceanic crust carries more water down with it than is released by volcanic activity, the volume of the oceans would decrease through time. m r . oOo Its a pity that good has acquired a taint, so that nowadays it hints of smugness, whereas bad almost always suggests something romantic, dashing, or bold. Really, good people, if you get to know' them, are so much more itneresting than bad, and so much more valuable to have as friends and neighbors. James Hilton. oOo California, where 376 acres a day are gobbled up by urbanization, put a 10 year lid on assessments if farmers pledge to keep land under cultivation. Citizens Urged fro Buy Bonds Wifrh Refunds Salt Lake County residents were reminded again by County Savings Bonds Chairman Henry J. Riggert of Salt Lake City of the unsual opportunity to convert their 1972 federal income tax refund checks into U.S. Savings bonds. The Treasury is estimating that this could be the largest tax refund year in history with $22 billion going to some 58 million recipients, an average of nearly $400 apiece. The U. S. Savings Bonds Division, through the cooperation of the Internal Revenue Service, is providing immediate opportunity for those recipients to convert their refund checks into bonds. A special bond application is being mailed, with instructions, along with each check. Persons wishing to turn their refunds into bonds need only fill out the form, take it along with the check to the nearest Savings Bond issuing agent, most likely the bank. The bonds in the specified amounts will be issued promptly. tax-refu- nd lepsy exist today despite teachings of Hippocrates centuries ago that epilepsy is no more related to supernatural causes than other diseases. If we approcah epilepsy scientifically rather than supersti-tiousl- y and if we accept the importance of maintaining health, we must then examine the possibilities of prevention of epilepsy and its consequences, a concept which has received relatively little attention in the past, and yet which obviously represents our ultimate challenge. General topics for discussion at the First American Symposium will be Genetic and Early PrevenAcquired Epilepsy, tion of Later Acquired Epilepsy and Neurosurgical Treatment of Epilepsy, Diagonstic LaboraAids Seizure in Prevention, tory and Medical and Social Community Laboratory Involvement in Prevention. The Symposium is sponsored by the Epilepsy Association of Utah, Epilepsy Foundation of America, Intermountain Regional Medical Program, University of Utah College of Medicine and the American Academy of Family Physicians. The latter organization has approved the symposium for 16 hours of credit. Winfrer Deer Losses May Affecfr Hunfr the IEASED GRAPEVINE v j Remodeling of the county jail will cost Salt Lake County $30,-00- 0 more than expected if the low bid for the work is accepted. The contract was estimated by county engineeers to be in the neighborhood of some $25,000, but the low bid for the project was $54,900. The improvements which are needed in the jail facility are an extra booking entrance, a recreation area near the womens wing, security screens over the tip of the outside activity area. A new visitors screening area and expansion of the evidence room. Salt Lake City Mayor E. J. Gam said this week that he would like to see the elimination of the Arbor Day holiday for the city employees. The mayor suggested that the holiday time not be taken away from city employees but to give them their birthday off instead of the Arbor day holiday. The proposal was made so as not to close down city government while most of the public continues to work. A law suit was filed in Third Deer losses in Utah this winter may affect the 1973 deer hunt District Court seeking some $6 according to Division of Wild- million in damages from the Salt life Resources game biologists, Lake County Planning Commisbut due to the improved winter sion and the Salt Lake County Plaintiffs in the ranges around the state, the ef- Commission. fect will not be as critical as that law suit are members of the Melville family, which owns some felt in former years. Homer Stapley, assistant game 1200 acres of recreation land in management chief, noted that the Albion Basin above Little very heavy losses occurred in Cottonwood canyon. The lawthe severe winter of 1948-4- 9 and suit contends that the Planning 1951-5- 2 and moderate loss seen Commissions ruling of the pro1964-6in when weather condi- posal that one residency on each tions were similar to this years. 50 acres is unconstitutional. The He stressed that losses this year Melville family wants to develop would have been much greater the area into a residential and if deer numbers had not been recreational area: reduced or range conditions imSalt Lake City Plan for adproved. Some deer mortality can be expected, during winters ministering the federal revenue of heavy snowfall, but the poor sharing funds for the community range conditions compound the development projects when they 5, problem. become available in 1975 has the poor range conditions. The sportsmen were informed of the problem and supported the Divisions program to cut the deer herds and improve the range. Their license dollars footed the bill for the rehabilitation and development of the critical deer winter ranges in the state, and now a return can be seen for the expenditure of those funds. Normally, fawns are lost first, followed by yearlings and old bucks. Mature does winter best. proposed program of Salt Lake cities is so good that all other regions will be asked to refer to the Salt Lake City program, according to Michael Kastanek, assistant regional administrator for the community planning department. The losses in the late 40s and been declared a model for the 50s were due, a large part, to entire six state region. The dial Where thousands of listeners enjoy concert music and news every day! Salt Lake City may get its new helicopter that it has been wanting for a long time. The Salt Lake City police department has been contracting out the services with private firms for the use of helicopter services for rescues. Public Safety Commissioner James Barker said that the U. S. government has offered to swap a surplus helicopter to the county for fill dirt and top soil, instead of the $300 nominal fee previously asked by the U. S. government. A conflict is arising from the fact that Salt Lake City has paid for one half of the insurance premiums for the Ilogle Zoo, when no provision required that Salt Lake City pay for half. Com. Philips and Harrison were assigned to determine if the city will continue paying half of the premium or seek a refund. |