European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 16, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes Friday september 16, 1977 modern Medicine Many diseases have symptoms of senility by Michael j. Halberstam  a society that loves labels senility is among the most widely used and misused of All. The term stereotypes the behaviour of the old expresses contempt for their alleged productivity and most telling of All vents our own fears of growing  term senility is particularly Damag ing because it is self fulfilling. Society seems to expect people to decline intellectually and personally with age and so too often it Hap pens. The tragedy is that some older people the exact number is unknown but May be in the millions suffer classic senile brain disease with progressive loss of memory coordination judgment and intellectual function. Yet Many people with these same symptoms Actu ally have conditions that could be treated and  senile brain disease or senile Demen Tia involves mysterious chemical changes an dissolution of brain cells. Evidence is mount ing that impaired blood circulation to the brain is not the cause. Another condition cerebral arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries of the brain can also cause symptoms similar to those of senile brain disease some scientists believe that a related Condi Tion alzheimer s disease May be caused by virus. Alzheimer s disease strikes people in their 40s and 50s and produces symptoms much like senility. A new diagnostic technique called computerized tomography can identify such cases of True brain damage and screen out patient whose problems Stem from about 100 other possible causes Many of which can retreated. Foremost among these is depression. Man authorities on aging estimate that unrecognized depression underlies More senility than organic brain damage and causes the slowing of responses characteristic of  certainly is ample cause for older people to feel depressed. It is no wonder for example that people left alone in tiny rooms May lose their appetite or Start talking to themselves yet Many could Benefit from counselling that emphasizes their strength and resources and Many could be treated with antidepressant and other drugs. Another Large group of senile american suffer from reactions to drugs they Are taking. Tranquili Zers antidepressants an sedatives can hamper the functioning of older people. Even digitalis can on rare occasion cause confusion. Some patients take prescriptions they have hoarded Over a Long period of time and then compound the problem by taking the wrong dosage. It s hard enough for the most ale Tyoung person to take three or four different pills on three or four different schedules. Elderly people who drink Nightcap i combination with certain pain killers Seda Tives and minor Tranquili Zers can end up mentally confused. Some physicians pre scribe Only the most essential medicines for older patients since misuse of drugs among this age group is so common. Many other cases of senility Are caused by unrecognized physical illness. For exam ple congestive heart failure curtails the Supply of blood oxygen and food to the brain and May produce senile like behaviour. Dehydration and anaemia also reduce the blood Supply to the brain. Or the older person might suffer from brain tumor or the delayed effects of an old head injury. Low pressure hydrocephalus fluid inside the Skull progressive encephalitis inflammation of the brain hypothyroidism or hypopituitarism can also cause senile be Havior. Yet All these conditions can be  is also a Factor in  deficiencies of Vitamin b Complex Vitamin b12, or folic acid can cause apparent mental decline As can impaired hearing or  we dismiss the older generation As being in their second childhood we insure that their lives will never improve and that they will never be treated for their real prob lems. Ironically in perpetuating the senility stereotype we set a trap into which someday we too May fall. C new York tin rus . Hospital costs rising million dollars an hour Washington up Hospital costs inthe United states Are increasing at a rate of $1 million an hour hew Secretary Joseph Cali Fano told a House subcommittee. If americans receive exactly the Sam amount of care today that they received yesterday they will pay $24 million More for it said Calif Ano. Departing from testimony on an administration proposal to provide health care for children Califano did a bit of lobbying for president Carter s plan to bring burgeoning Hospital costs under  the hour since i left my office to come Over to this hearing room Califano told the panel the country has paid nearly $1 million More for health care than they would have paid for the very same care the hour  the Secretary of health education an welfare previously has called the nation s hospitals obese and gluttonous characterizations that Hospital Trade groups have called scare  wants to limit Hospital Revenue in creases to an annual rate of 9 to 11 per cent compared to the current 15 per cent. Califano testified that the president Tollhouse leaders our important current priority will be Hospital Cost  the health subcommittee before which the Secre tary appeared headed by rep. Paul Rogers,d-fia., will consider the Hospital proposal. If approved by Congress the plan could Cut the $24 million daily increase in Hospital cos inflation to As Little As $10 million Califano  said since the administration Bill was proposed in february the Cost of an average stay in the Hospital has increased from $1,300 to$l,400.the child health proposal under study by the subcommittee would require states to  vide routine health examinations and treat ment for All welfare children under age 6, an increase Federal Matching funds for states providing health services to needy children. Nudists May have solution for High blood pressure Crownsville my. Up american nudists May have less of a problem with High blood pressure than their contemporaries who always Wear clothes according to test results from the Pine tree associates nudist Camp. The Central Maryland chapter of the hear association has tested residents of the nudist Camp for two years and found fewer person with High blood pressure than the National average. At a screening this week Only 12 or 7 percent of the 163 members had High blood pressure compared to a National average of17 per cent heart association officials said. Across 1a bet i Roulette 4 defeat8 Hodgepodge 12 past13 Start for Bat or phobia14 miss cinders 15 misfortune 17 cupid18 Lamprey 19 radio operator s equipment 21 execute in a Way 24 the present 25 poem 26 delved28 Afghanistan capital 32 Pood thickener 34 storage place36 River in North Korea 37 a shaped work 39 obtained 41 gestae42 pull along 44 stop46 rigorous 50 Man nonskid Row 51 volcanic product 52 Blarney 56 Paradis lost for one 57 ripped58 born 59 walk i water 60 girl s name61 seeing in a Way avg. Solution down1 exc Lama tion2 Khan 3 poor loser 4 narrative poem 5 frenc Coin 6 word wit Hangel or villain 7 bus fare 8 Progress 9 Charity 10 Plum like fruit time 25 min. E go t or e a l a d 9-16 answer to yesterday s Puzzle. 11 male red Deer 16 River i Scotland 20 All right for astronauts 21 wild pig22 Border 23 beat a drum 27 actor Young 29 lower thana Tenor 30 rubber trees31 craving 33 daily grind 35 Droop 38 in no Way 40 tried43 squander 45 distress signal46 killed 47 hemingway48 eager 49 High 53 precede sat. 54 Start for aesthetes 55 rally of a kind today s crossword is 21 25 32 37 a 59 22 47 18 42 26 38 34 43 52 27 49 24 20 28 40 50 45" 29 41 58 31 Onn Landers dear Ann Landers recently my husband and i invited our two sons and their wives on a 6,000-mile trip. We bought their airline tickets paid their hotel. Bills bought meals and rented cars everywhere we  two occasions when we wanted to Start sightseeing Early we had breakfast out of the hotel. Both times the older son told the waitress separate checks  he and his brother rein the $20,000-a-year bracket the last night of the trip the boys and their wives made other plans and could not Fin time to have dinner with us. My husband was furious and told them off. Needless to say the vacation ended on a sour  would appreciate your com ments on the ingratitude of this generation. A. Y., n.  Dear . It in t this generation it s every generation from the beginning of time. Re member sharper than a ser pent s tooth. Six thousand Miles of together Ness for three grown couples in the same family is a bit much unless it s a super special tribe. If it s advice you want Here it is Don t try to buy the companion ship of your children. If you think i m being hard boiled ask your self this would your sons and Thier wives have accompanied you on that trip if they had to pay for it themselves dear Ann i am an exhausted Mother who needs help. Our older boy is brain damaged an cannot do Many things for him self that most nine year Olds Candy. We had our younger boy age six tested three months ago and he is  i had never even heard the word  can t afford help and my Mother is not Well enough to give me a hand with these two Chil Dren. Can you suggest som Reading material that might help me Cope if i understood More about my children s problems i would do better by them As Wellas myself. Thanks Ann. Having a rough time dear Mother help is As near As your Mailbox. Write to the exceptional Parent . Box 641, Penacook n.h., 03301. This Magazine is the Best thing i be seen for parents whose children have disabilities of All kinds. It offers not Only practical guidance but emotional support. Hie Price is $10 for six issues an Worth every cent. Dear Ann i heard again today that teenagers Are very rude and inconsiderate especially when they Are driving. This is not True and i wish you d disabuse the Public of the falsehood. Yesterday on my Way to work i saw a car in a parking Lane trying to get into the flow of traffic. I slowed Down and let him in ahead of me. He pulled away without a nod or a wave of thanks. The Driver was about 50.for the last three months i be been doing a private Survey. My findings Middle aged and older Drivers Are about six times Asun Likely to show appreciation foray Small Courtesy. Younger Drivers especially teenagers Are much More courteous and Friendly. Midwest test dear test thanks for the clue in. Let s hear it for considerate and Friendly Drivers folks. Statistics also show they live longer. C 1977 Field enterprises inc