European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 07, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes saturday october 1989 army warns against clinic s diet pills by Janet d Agostino medical writer Frankfurt West Germany army medical officials have issued a warning about potentially dangerous diet pills that Are being prescribed by a weight loss clinic in Belgium. The warnings made by Frankfurt army regional medical Center officials were prompted by increasing reports of americans using the pills. Harmful Side effects from the pills can include anxiety restlessness rapid pulse elevated blood pressure or irregular heart beat according to or. Ronald r. Blanck an army colonel who commands the Frankfurt Hospital. Blanck and v corps nutritionist Lynne Man obtained samples of the pills and a copy of the prescription and diet plan used by the clinic. The pills were Analysed by the Hospital pharmacy with assistance from a West German pharmacy and a criminal investigation come Laboratory. They were found to contain 16 substances including two amphetamine Tike drugs that Are Classi fied As controlled substances in the United states because they Are potentially addictive. Additionally the pills contained herbs that Are known to be toxic in animals extracts of animal organs and thy roid preparations not normally used to treat obesity in otherwise healthy people. The pills also contained diuretics which remove fluids from the system and cortisone a Type of steroid. The concern that we have in t so much that if everyone take them they re going to be poisoned and die because that s certainly overreaction Blanck said. However the pills arc potentially dangerous for some people he said. He gave As an example a woman patient who suffered dangerously Low potassium Levels by taking the diet pills in conjunction with High blood pressure Medicine. Or. Ivan co Sens the doctor who prescribes the pills in Belgium previously practice in West Ger Many where he was under scrutiny by the Nord Rhein West Falcon state chamber of physicians according to or. Karl h. Kimbyl who Heads the drug commission for the German medical profession. Membership in the group based in Cologne is mandatory for West German doctors. Co Sens however evaded the chamber by mov ing from place to place and eventually leaving the country Kimbyl said. Co Sens refused to answer any questions about himself or the clinic when contacted in Belgium by the stars and stripes. An american living in the Frankfurt area said she went to the clinic located in Eynatten Belgium to obtain a prescription for the pills and used them even though she realized they might cause Side effects. It was Worth it for me said the woman who asked that her  not be used. I was not going Home to the states weighing 247  the woman who paid about $190 for a two month prescription of pills lost about 40 pounds while experiencing Only mild Side effects. She said she Felt constantly tired and had stomach cramps while taking the diet pills but endured those discomforts because she was losing weight. Blanck said the pills probably do cause weight loss in some people because of the amphetamine like sub stances which suppress the appetite. But the weight loss is usually temporary and the pounds arc eventually regained when the person stops taking the pills and goes Back to old eating habits. Pills Don t work he said. I can make anybody lose weight if i want to. That s not the problem. Keep ing it off  to lose weight permanently a Well planned nutritionally balanced diet should be accompanied with changes in eating habits and a regular exercise pro Gram Man said. The diet that accompanies the belgian prescription is not nutritionally sound and does make sense she said. For example the diet Calls for patients not to eat mint but docs not say Why. Mint contains a Salicylate Type substance yet other Salicylate compounds such As aspirin Are not prohibited she said. The diet also prohibits cola but Coffee intake is allowed in Small quantities and other substances con Taining caffeine Are not prohibited. Starchy foods such As breads and noodles Are limited despite recent weight control research that shows that carbohydrates Are filling nutritious and not Over loaded with calories. The diet docs not mention fats which Are higher in calories than any other food. Blanck and Man recommend that people not use the diet pills. People intent on taking them should notify a doctor if they suffer any ill effects. Those with chronic medical problems such As High blood pressure should notify a doctor before taking the pills Blanck said. Chambers to succeed Rutherford at 17th of Sembach a West Germany maj. Gen. James e. Chambers will succeed it. Gen. Robert l. Rutherford As commander of 17th air Force officials said Friday. Chambers has been Deputy chief of staff for operations for Pacific air forces at Hickam fab Hawaii since septem Ber 1987. The change of command Cere Mony will be oct. 23. In a Surprise ceremony Friday night at Spang Dahlum a Safe s commander Gen. Michael j. Dugan presented Rutherford with the third Star of a Lieuten ant general. The generals were at Spang Dahlum for the Excalibur air exercise award ceremony. News updates Iba Ruri improves Madrid Spain a Doc tors on thursday said the legendary communist Leader Dolores Iba Ruri is expected to be released from the Hospital next week. The fiery 93-year-old Spanish civil War Leader nicknamed la Pas Onaria was rushed to the hos Pital sept. 13, in serious condition with pneumonia. She was re elected to parliament in 1977, but later gave up Active politics because of failing health. Spy Catcher Case London a the attorney general dropped contempt proceedings thursday against Peter Marsh who refused to Stop Selling spy Catcher the memoirs of Peter Wright a former British intelligence agent after it had been banned in Britain. During a hearing at the High court a lawyer for sir Patrick Mayhew agreed to discontinue the action against Marsh 45, owner of Bilbo s bookshop in Bath. Last year prime minister mar Garet Thatcher s conservative government lost a three year court Battle to ban the Book by Wright. Marsh said he Felt he had taken a stand for Freedom. He sold co pies printed in the United states and Ireland. The 50-year-old Rutherford has been the 17th air Force s commander since april 1988. His next position will be air Force Deputy chief of staff for programs and. Resources at the is Jug Pentagon. Before j taking command at the 17th, he was Safe Deputy Chambers chief of staff for operations. A command Pilot with More than 4,000 flying hours in fighter and Trainer aircraft. Ruther Ford also had assignments at Kun san a. South Korea Kadena a Japan and Ubon Royal thai fab Thailand. Chambers 52, is also a command Pilot with More than 5,500 flying hours in f-105s, f 4s, and f-15s. He Rutherford Mew combat mis Sions Over Vietnam Laos and cambo Dia. His previous assignments have included Deputy director for operations at . Pacific come in Hawaii and assistant Deputy chief of staff for plans at tac air come at Langley fab a. While at the 479lh tac fighter Wing at Holloman fab n.m., he served successively As Deputy commander for operations vice commander and com Mander. About 30,000  and 6,500 civilians arc assigned through out 17th air Force one of three numbered air forces in Safe. Seventeenth air Force is responsible for Safe s tactical units in West Ger Many Belgium and the Netherlands. Ten major installations fall under its direction. German Auto club asks Usa eur to put Cense fags on combat vehicles Frankfurt West Germany is in a move aimed at helping civilian motorists who become involved in Acci dents with military vehicles one of West Germany s largest automobile clubs is advocating that . Combat vehicles be equipped with License plates during a Nevers. Avd the automobile club of Ger Many directed the request to the . Army in Europe after consultations with the West German defense ministry and several automobile insurance companies. A club spokesman said the Organiza Tion has not received a reply to the re quest which was sent to the army in Early september. A Usa eur spokesman on Friday was unable to say what the command planned to do in response to the club s request. The avd spokesman noted that other armed forces based in West Germany already use tactical License plates. . Vehicles carry Only unit identification which Means nothing to a civilian who wants to report an Accident. The american vehicles Are the Only nato country vehicles that do not Bear identifiable National plates the spokesman said. Fender benders in particular give German Drivers problems since the larger accidents usually involve local police and the maps who can identify the Mili tary vehicle the spokesman said. Headquartered in Frankfurt avd is West Germany s second largest Auto Mobile club with 700,000 members. Go in custody after Chase by police Erlanger West Germany is a 1st army div Soldier is in Ameri can custody after he allegedly robbed and assaulted a West German taxi Driver and then led police on an hour Long Chase. Pvt. 1 Vincent m. Davis of he co 2nd in 6th inf regt is being held Pend ing further investigation division spokesman maj. John e. Cooper said Friday. The incident occurred sept. 30 when Davis who had been missing from his unit for a week hired the cab and asked to be taken to a Bergstrasser address in Erlanger. After reaching the destination the Soldier allegedly struck the taxi Driver several times with an Iron pipe stole the Driver s fares and took off in the taxi. Although bleeding heavily the injure Man managed to Alert another taxi Driver who set off in Pursuit of the fleeing Soldier. Erlanger police said the Soldier then slammed on his brakes and drove backward ramming the second taxi and forcing its Driver to abandon the Chase. West German police then took Over the Pursuit and chased the stolen taxi across an autobahn and through City streets until the Soldier stopped and leapt from the car. Davis continued his flight on foot and ignoring a warning shot ran to the Edge of the Regnitz River police said. The Soldier jumped 4 or 5 feet Down into the water and swam to a Smalt is land where he hid in the Bushes until police found him. The taxi Driver suffered severe head injuries and is being treated at Erlanger. University Hospital. Davis was treated for a hand injury suffered during the flight. Authorities estimate the amount of damages to the vehicles involved in the incident to be about $ 5,500