European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday july 20,1988 Lead poisoning threatens . Children report says stateside Washington up despite government efforts to reduce Lead contamination in the environment 3 Mil lion to 4 million american children still Are exposed to dangerous Levels of the highly toxic Metal a new report shows. In addition an estimated 400,000 fetuses each year Are threatened by Lead poisoning of their mothers said the report presented to Congress monday by the Agency for toxic substances and disease registry. The Agency an Arm of the health and human service department noted Lead contamination has been substantially reduced in recent decades by government regulations reducing the use of Lead in gasoline and curtailing Lead emissions from smelters and other Industrial sources. But it said exposure to Lead continues to be a serious potential Public health problem particularly for the Young child and  the Agency also said the problem May be More difficult to address than previously believed because medical re searchers Are finding that Lead can have harmful effects a lower exposure Levels than past studies indicated. Thus despite some Progress in reducing the average level of Lead exposure in this country it is increasingly apparent that the scope of the childhood Lead poisoning problem has been and continues to be much greater than was previously realized the report said. A highly toxic Metal Lead is particularly damaging tothe developing brain and Central nervous system causing delayed mental development reduced in scores and impaired hearing. Such damage is persistent and May be irreversible. Depending on the amount of Lead absorbed in the bloodstream the kidney can also be damaged and production of heme in red blood cells can be diminished. Severe exposure can Lead to coma convulsions and even death. The Agency said the incidence of elevated blood level was highest among inner City underprivileged children but it added no economic or racial sub grouping i exempt from the risk of having blood Lead Levels sufficiently High to cause Adverse health effects. Indeed sizable numbers of children from families with incomes above the poverty level have been reported with blood Lead Levels above those considered danger Ous the Agency reached its estimate of 3 million to 4 Mil lion american children at risk by extrapolating from data from the 1980 census and the National health and nutrition examination Survey 2, which surveyed Levels of Lead in blood taken from 1976 to 1980. The report said the major sources of Lead poisoning forthe foreseeable future Are Lead based paints used in pre 1950 housing Lead residues in dust and soil and Lead in drinking water supplies. Weighty problem Steve Nellis a 690-Pounder from Hurst iii., listens to some words of advice from weight loss activist Dick Gregory in a Newark n.j., hotel room. Nellis and a dozen other obese people Are involved in a program organized by comedian Gregory to help seriously handicapped heavyweights shed poundage. 1 of 2 Texas teen agers struck by lightning diesel paso Texas a two teen agers were struck by lightning one fatally while they cleaned a Corral authorities said  lightning sunday afternoon killed Jennifer Whitmire 15, of Elpaso and injured Ben Drake 14, of Lapeer mich., said police it. Raul Pacillas. Drake was in serious but stable condition monday at Providence memorial Hospital spokeswoman Teresa Souza said. He and his sister Kara were in the area to visit relatives said their father Bob Drake or. Jelly bean ice Cream on Way to White House Salt Lake City a eighteen Gallons of Jellybean ice Cream Are on their Way to president Reagan after being pronounced fit for the presidential palate by Senate taste tester Jake Gam. Utah congressional candidate Richard Snelgrov and his family spent Days whipping up a Jelly bean recipe after Reagan a Jelly bean aficionado asked Forit when Snelgrove visited the White House with a group of Republican candidates last month. Snelgrove a part owner of Snelgrove ice Cream co.,was told the president s favorite Jelly bean flavors Are Cherry and Tangerine so the company made batches of  sampling the Sweet concoction Garnr Utah pronounced it a "10.""now the secret service will test it before it s served to the president he said. Maybe they la put a Freezer in the Oval  Treasury Security rates highest since october Washington a interest rates on Short term Treasury securities Rose in the latest auction to the highest level since the october Stock Market crash. The Treasury department on monday sold $6.7 Bil lion in three month Bills at an average discount rate of 6.76 percent up from 6.72 percent last week. Another$6.6 billion was sold in six month Bills at an average discount rate of 7.09 percent up from 6.99 percent last  rates were the highest since oct. 19, when three month Bills sold for 6.84 percent and six month Bills averaged 7.21  new discount rates understate the actual return to investors 6.97 percent for three month Bills with a$10,000 Bill Selling for $9,829.10, and 7.45 percent for a six month Bill Selling for $9,641.60. In a separate report the Federal Reserve said Mon Day that the average yield for one year Treasury Bills the most popular Index for making changes in adjustable rate mortgages Rose to 7.79 percent last week up from 7.62 percent the previous week. Aids estimate for . Almost halved by officials new York not new York City health officials have reduced by almost half their longstanding estimate that 400,000 residents Are infected with the aids virus. A researcher who worked on the new figures said the health officials now believe that closer to 250,000 Resi dents Are infected with the virus. A growing number of aids specialists believe that almost All carriers of the virus will eventually become sick. The revision comes Only two months after the Cit issued a master plan for aids services that was based on the old estimate. The old estimate was used by City health officials forbore than three years. The new one is based mainly on a reduction in the estimated population of homosexual and bisexual men. New scar found on Vietnam veterans memorial Washington a Park rangers say a vertical scratch has been discovered inthe Vietnam veterans memorial that is deeper than scars detected earlier this year. The latest scratch four inches Long and one eighth Inch wide does not touch any of the 58,156 engraved names. The highly polished Granite Wall is so hardhat National Park service officials said the damage Only could have been inflicted deliberately. James Lance a Park Ranger who served in Vietnam in a non combatant role discovered the damage sunday morning but said he was not sure when the damage occurred. Officials said vandalism is a difficult Security problem for rangers and . Park police because people routinely touch the Wall and make rubbings of names. The memorial is the most popular i Washington and has been since it opened in 1982, attracting 12,000 to15,000 visitors daily. The problem is the nature of the me Morial said Jan Scruggs president of the Vietnam veterans memorial fun that jointly administers the memorial with the Park service. What makes it successful is the feel ing people get from touching it from touching the names. We would never consider covering it with Glass to protect  Sandra Alley of the National Par service and Scruggs said the memorial fund wants volunteers to form a memorial watch similar to a neighbourhood watch to assist . Park police in patrolling at night