December 28t 1990 PAGE 7
Spilyay Tymoo
Warm Springs, Oregon
You can help prevent hepatitis
There's a hepatitis epidemic in
Oregon. Are you doing your part
to stop it?
The media are constantly alert
ing us to new hepatitis scares asso
ciated with restaurants where food
service workers have been diag
nosed with hepatitis. Armed with
this information about specific
foods that the worker may have
contaminated on specific dates, it's
up to us to decide if we need a
gamma globulin shot to ward off
the disease.
If more than two weeks have
passed since exposure, the only
option is to "wait and see" if symp
toms appear.
Plan now
When was the last time you
talked with your family members
or significant loved ones about
health care decisions at the end of
life?
These conversations can be dif
ficult for families. When they occur,
they may contain unclear statements
such as "Don't ever let me live like
a vegetable" or "I don't want to be
hooked up to all kinds of machines.
No heroics."
Unfortunately, these statements
are not very helpful when decisions
must be made for someone in a
terminal condition who is deci
sionary incompetent (perhaps be
cause of a coma or severe pain.)
For example, if you say that you
do'n't want to be hooked up to
machines if you should be in a ter
minal condition, does that mean
you dont want a respirator? Does
it also mean you don't want to be
fed artifically by tube or to receive
intravenous antibiotics? .
Medical technology is compli
cated. Therefor, in order to make
your wishes c.car, it becomes im
portant for you to know as much as
possible about different treatments
which arc often used in a terminal
condition.
Oregonians concerned with plan
ning for future health care in the
event of incompetency have two
routes available to them: A Power
of Attorney for Health Care and a
Directive to Physicians (more com
monly known as a Living Will).
The reality is that most people do
not write detailed documents about
all the possible ways they might die
and the various treatments physi
cians might have availale to pro
long their lives.
Given a recent U.S. Supreme
Court decision, however, we may
begin to see increased health care
consumer awareness and partici
pation regarding terminal care.
On June 25, 1990, the U.S.
Supreme Court issued its decision
on the first "right to die" case to
come before it. The Court's opin
ion on the case of Nancy Cruzan
Pregnant women: Be cautious of food poisoning
Food poisoning can be deadly
during pregnancy. Although young
and middle-aged women may be
able to eat unsafe food without
severe consequences, food poison
ing during pregnancy can result in
death of the fetus. Like other high
risk groups, including the elderly
and persons with cancer, pregnant
women should take special precau
tions to make sure that their food is
safe to eat.
Careful handling of raw animal
products is important for preven
tion of food poisoning. Salmonella,
Listeria and other harmful bacteria
live in the intestinal tracts of anim
als. These bacteria can be present
on the raw meat, poultry, seafood
and eggs that we buy.
To prevent spread of these bac
teria, it's important to wash hands,
utensils and work surfaces (such as
cutting boards) after handling raw
animal products.
Removal
No completely safe method exists
for "do-it-yourself" removal of lead
based paint, according to the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Com
mission (CPSC).
Each of the paint removal meth
odssandpaper, scrapers, chemi
cals and torches or heat guns, can
produce lead fumes or dust. Fumes
or dust can become airborne and
be inhaled.
Moreover, dust can settle on
floors, walls and tables, and cause
problems. It can be ingested by
children from hand-to-mouth con
tact. It can re-enter the air through
cleaning (such as sweeping or
vacuuming) or by movements of
people throughout the house.
Lead-based paint should be re
moved only by professionals trained
in hazardous material removal who
follow detailed procedures to con
trol and contain lead dust.
Lead-based paint may be found '
on any interior or exterior surface
in an older home, particularly on
woodwork, doors and windows.
Heavily leaded paint was used in
Symptoms appear from two to
six weeks after exposure. The onset
of illness is usually abrupt fever,
chills, loss of appetite, nausea,
fatigue and abdominal discomfort.
Hepatitis A is the least severe
type of viral hepatitis. The illness
may be mild (lasting a week or so)
or it may be more severe (lasting
several months). There is no cure.
The disease must run its course.
We need to realize that hepatitis
is not just a restaurant problem.
The virus can be an unwanted
guest at any feeding occasion, in
cluding family meals and potluck
dinners.
for "end of
has important meaning for hope
lessly ill patients, their families,
and health care providers.
Nancy Cruzan is a young woman
in Missouri who lives in a persist
ent vegetative state as a result of a
1983 car accident. She is not brain
dead; the lower part of her brain
which enables her heart to beat and
her lungs to breathe continues to
function. She does not need a ven
tilator to survive. Because she can
do nothing for herself, she must be
artificially fed and hydrated.
Nancy's parents believe she would
not want to have tube feeding
under her circumstances. They
based their belief on what they
know about their daughter and in
part on her own earlier statement
that she would not want to live if
she could not be "at least halfway
normal."
The New England Journal of
Medicine (September 6, 1990) brief
ly summarized the U.S. Supreme
Court's decision as follows. First,
the court affirmed the right of
competent patients to refuse life
sustaining treatment. Second, the
Court indicated that artificial feed
ing and hydration should be treated
the same as any other medical
treatment.
Third, the Court agreed that
Missouri could require the con
tinued treatment of a patient in a
persistent vegetative state unless
there was "clear and convincing
evidence" that she or he had explic
itly authorized the termination of
treatment before losing the capac
ity to make decisions.
Fourth, the Court did not require
that other states adopt Missouri's
rigorous standing of proof.
While having advance directives
are not necessary in Oregon in
order to discontiue life-sustaining
treatment of incompetent patients, indi
viduals who may wish to set limits
concerning treatment if ever they
should be in a terminal condition
would be on much more solid
ground by putting their wishes in
writing before the occurrence of a
Thorough heating of raw animal
products destroys bacteria that may
be present. Pregnant women should
avoid raw or rare meat, under
cooked poultry and seafood and
runny eggs. Cold-smoked fish (such'
as lox) should also be avoided
because bacteria that are especially
harmful during pregnancy may not
have been destroyed during pro-,
cessing.
When purchasing milk products,
pregnant women should look for
pasteurized milk, cream and cheese. '
The heat of pasteurization destroys
Listeria bacteria which have caused
deaths of fetuses in food poisoning
outbreaks.
In general, heating foods before
eating is a good safeguard during
pregnancy. This includes vegeta
bles such as carrots and potatoes as
well as precooked foods such as
deli meats and shell fish.
If using a microwave oven, make
of lead -
about two-thirds of homes build
before 1940, one-half of homes
build from 1940 to 1960, and some
homes built after 1960. In 1978, the
CPSC lowered the legal lead con
tent in most paint to 0.06 percent (a
trace amount).
Lead-based paint is a major
source of lead poisoning for child
ren, and can affect adults. Lead
poisoning can cause brain damage
resulting in impaired mental func
tions. Lead poisoning in children
can result in retarded mental and
physical development and reduced
attention span.
In adults, lead poisoning can
cause irritability, poor muscle co
ordination, nerve damage to the
sense organs and nerves control
ling the body, and it may cause
problems with reproduction (such
as decreased sperm counts). Lead
poisoning may also increase the
blood pressure in adults.
Retarded fetal development can
occur at even low blood lead levels,
Thus, unborn children, infants.
young children and adults with
Anv person with hepatitis symp-
toms hould not be preparing food
for their families or for the public.
Even without symptoms, we can be
spreading hepatitis. It's infectious
ir, ,' , tl.
before symptoms appear. There-
fore, it's important for all food
handlers to keep food safety in
mind all of the .time. Good per
sonal hygiene is the key to preven
tion. Food can be contaminated with
hepatitis virus when infected per
sons don't wash their hands after
using the toilet or changing a child's
diapers. Unless a food is cooked
after contamination, the virus will
life"
health crisis.
Healthy individuals over 1 8 years
old, as well as those in poor health,
are urged to discuss the use of life
sustaining treatments with physi
cians and family members in order
to articulate their preferences and
values. Such dicussions are essen
tial preparation to the writing and
signing of advance directives.
For further information and
materials on end-of-life health care
decision making, contact Oregon
Health Decisions, toll-free in Ore
gon: 1-800-442-4805.
Coldframe
You don't need to be a green
house owner to enjoy cold-weather
gardening. Try a coldframe, the poor
gardener's greenhouse.
The coldframe enables home gar
deners to sow summer flowers and
vegetables weeks before outdoor
Give savings bonds
For Christmas, birthdays, gradua
tions and other special occasions,
U.S. Savigs Bonds are a gift that
grows. When held for at least five
years, Series EE U.S. Savings Bonds
earn market-based interest, or the
guaranteed minimum (six percent),
whichever is higher.
Series EE Savings Bonds may be
bought at banks, savings and loans
associations and other financial
institutions qualified as issuing
agents, or from Federal Reserve
Banks and Branches.
Savings bonds are available in
eight denominations, from $50 to
$10,000. The price you pay is half
the bond's face value. A $50 bond
may be purchased for $25.
U.S. Savings Bonds are issued
and fully backed by the U.S.
Government, making them one of
today's safest investments. They're
the perfect gift for that special
occasion.
sure that heating is adequate to kill
harmful bacteria. Microwave cook
ery leaves cold spots that could be
havens for bacteria. Use oven cook
ing bags to ensure even heating of
meat and poultry. Check manufac
turer's directions for power level
and both cooking and standing
times. Rotate foods during cook
ing and check for doneness before
eating.
Foods must be handled with
care after cooking as well. Tem
perature control is a safeguard to
prevent food poisoning. Perishable
foods should not be held at room
temperature longer than two to
three hours. Refrigerate leftovers
promptly. This includes foods such
as cream pie, sliced turkey, baked
potatoes and pasta salad.
There's no substitute for proper
temperature control. The toxin
formed by Staphylococcus bacte
ria isn't destroyed during normal
based paint very
high blood pressure are most vul
nerable to the effects of lead.
Consumers themselves cannot tell
if paint contains lead. Have old
paint checked for lead content.
Some local or state health or hous
ing departments can suggest pri
vate labs or public agencies to test
your paint for lead and how to
obtain a sample for testing. If test
ing is unavailable or costly, assume
that older painted surfaces contain
lead.
Lead-based paint should be re
moved only by trained profession
als in hazardous material removal
who must follow detailed proce
dures to minimize, control and
contain lead dust generated by the
removal process. Question contrac
tors about how familiar they are
with the lead paint removal pro
cess. Here's what a reliable con
tractor should do:
Seal the room from the rest of
the house. Remove all furniture,
carpets and drapes.
Make sure workers wear respi
outbreak
be spread. That's why salads and
co,afsar "aw " '
XiT
on l P"son at home and away
,r0.nTc; . ,, vmir
Whether you re (ceding your
f . nflfrnns Vnciai
groups or others, you can stop the
hepatitis epidemic with soap and
water. It's a simple solution for an
out-of-control problem.
Don't use electric space heaters In bathroom
Following three recent fatalities,
Government safety experts are
warning consumers not to use por
table electric heaters in bathrooms
or near other sources of water in
the home.
In a Missouri accident, an ener
gized portable electric heater was
placed on the edge of a bathtub
while two children, ages two and
lour, were bathing. Unattended at
the time, the children pulled the
heater into the tub and were electro
cuted. In an Illinois accident, a 65-year-old
woman was electrocuted when
the portable electric heater she had
placed on the tub edge fell into the
water while she was bathing.
The U.S Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) said
gardening alternative to
spring planting dates. In addition
you can start annual flowers for
fall and winter and perennials for
next year's growing season in a
coldframe.
The coldframe protects plants
from harsh winter weather, allow
ing them to grow to transplant size
quickly.
A typical coldframe is a wood
frame box about three feet by six
feet in size with the back side
higher than the front. The top is
sloped to capture sunlight and allow
rain to run off.
The top may be either hinged or
removable and can be made of
window sash, storm windows or
polyethylene film in a frame. Poly
ethylene may cause some problems
in western Oregon because it tends
to sag and collect water.
A sunny, well-drained location
protected from the wind is ideal for
a coldframe, which should be placed
facing south. Good construction
will help conserve soil heat at night.
Make the joints of the coldframe as
tight as possible. Bank soil up
around the sides to keep the plant
ing area warmer. Paint the wood
surfaces of the coldframe with a
primer and one or two coats of
white paint to reflect the light.
A wood preservative, such as
two percent copper nepthante, is
cooking procedures. That means
you can't always rely on reheating
to make mishandled foods safe to
eat.
Remember temperature control
when bringing home any take-out
food or "doggy bags", too.
By cleaning, cooking and cool
ing food safely, pregnant women
can lower their risk of getting food
poisoning from home-prepared
foods.
Values change by generations
Values are commonly-held beliefs
or standards that help rule an indi
vidual's or a family's decision-making.
Simply put, values are what we
believe is right and good. This
seems to be a simple definition of
values, but it is actually a very
complex process. The complexity
rators designed to avoid inhaling
lead.
Allow no eating or drinking in'
the work area. Remove all food
and eating utensils then cover and
seal all cabinets and food contact
surfaces.
Keep children and other occu
pants (especially infants, pregnant
women and adults with high blood
pressure) out of the house until the
job is done.
Dispose of clothing worn in the
room after working. (Also work
clothing should not be worn in
other areas of the house.)
Clean up debris using special
vacuum cleaners with H EPA (high
efficiency particle absorption) fil
ters. Use a wet mop on hard floor
surfaces after vacuuming.
The U.S. Department of Hous
ing and Urban Development (HUD)
is evaluating methods for removal
of lead-based paint. Congress asked
HUD to develop a plan by Sep
tember, 1990 for inspecting and
the availability of small, lightweight
portable electric space heaters may
make it easier for consumers to use
them to heat rooms such as the
bathroom. If electric heaters are
used near water in the home, the
appliance poses an electrocution
hazard for all family members.
CPSC said that most electric
heaters do not have protection
against electrocution should the
appliance come in contact with
water. For this reason, electric
heaters should not be used in bath
rooms. CPSC reminds consumers that
ground fault circuit interrupters
(GFCIs) can be installed in any
wall outlet to protect consumers
against electrocution hazards and
are particularly desirable for out
safe near plants and can be used
before painting to protect against
wood rot. Creosote and pentachlo
rophenol will poison plants and
shouldn't be used.
The frame is heated by the sun.
During the night the heat is gradu
ally lost through the cover. During
the day, the temperature must be
controlled so it doesn't get too high
Help elderly
Eyesight is not as sharp as it once
was for many older adults. To pro
tect from accidental poisonings,
it's a good idea to identify all medi
cations with large lettered labels,
bright colors, or individually
marked stoppers.
Be safe this winter
Wood and coal burning stoves
have been associated with many
home heating accidents. Wood
stoves, fireplaces and their chim
ney assemblies were involved in an
estimated 67,500 residential fires in
1987, resulting in 120 deaths. Dang
ers associated with this type of
supplemental heating system in
clude fires resulting from improper
installation and maintenance and
creosote buildup.
Due to the number of accidents
that have occurred, the CPSC has
issued a labeling rule on wood
stoves to provide a permanent ref
erence to proper installation, oper
ation and maintenance procedures
and to raise consumer awareness of
these dangers.
When installing a wood burning
stove, make certain that it is placed
on the proper surface and at the
distance from the wall specified by
the manufacturer.
Most fires associated with wood
heating appliances have occurred
in the chimney. Such fires can
result from poorly constructed or
of value development lies in the
fact that they can, and do, change
throughout the life cycle. Each new
life experience brings opportunity
for value development.
Not only do an individual's values
change, but community values have
changed dramatically in the past
difficult
removing lead-based paint from
private homes, reports Mary Ann
Sward, Oregon State University
Extension housing specialist.
Happy
New
Year!
Dust-free dusting possible
Keep furniture clean with treated
cloths which gather dust instead of
scattering it. Find a clean, lintless
cloth. Place it in a small screw-top
jar which has been coated with a
few drops of furniture-polishing oil
Information Provided By:
OSU Warm Springs Extension
1134 Palute Street
PO Box 430
Warm Springs, OR 97761
(503) 553-32383239
door outlets and in bathrooms,
kitchens, basements and garages. A
GFCI constantly monitors electric
ity flowing through a circuit. If an
electric appliance accidently top
ples into a sink or tub, the GFCI
will shut down the power in mil
liseconds to protect the consumer
against electrocution. Consumers
should also consider using porta
ble GFCI shock protectors that
can be plugged into outlets when
they are usingelcctrical products in
and around the home.
Consumers may obtain a free
copy of the Government's fact sheet
on ground-fault circuit interrup
ters by sending a postcard to GFCI,
Washington, DC 20207
greenhouse
100 F. is the maximum). Raise
.he cover of the frame occasionally
to reduce the temperature inside
and provide good air circulation.
Poor air circulation can cause
damping off, mold and botrytis.
Using a sterile seed medium such as
vermiculite, sand or other disease
free planting material helps pre
vent these problems.
with vision
And, it's V good idea to hang a
magnifying glass by th medicine
cabinet to help identify labels. Keep
lighting bright where medication is
stored and try to store prescription
drugs in a separate compartment
from non-prescription items.
damaged masonry chimneys, poor
installation of factory built chim
neys, or the ignition of creosote, a
tar-like residue which builds up in
chimneys over time.
To reduce the risk of fire, exist
ing masonry chimneys should be
inspected and repaired if necessary,
and factory-built chimneys should
be installed strictly according to
the manufacturer's instructions. The
CPSC recommends that consumers
have their chimneys checked by a
qualified chimney sweep before, as
well as during, the heating season
to prevent dangerous creosote
build-up and resultant chimney fire.
At the same time, both the fire
place and chimney should be checked
for structural integrity. And as a
final precaution, never burn trash,
coal, charcoal, or plastics in your
woodburning appliance. These items
can overheat your stove or fire
place causing a fire. They can also
cause a buildup of pollutants when
burned in a fireplace. Always make
sure the area is properly ventilated.
few decades as well. In other words,
the values that parents are teaching
their children today are much dif
ferent from the values they were
taught as children. Just 40 years
ago, the values that parents em
phasized were obedience, confor
mity and respect for the home and
church. Nowadays, parents are
more likely to instill autonomy
(independence), responsibility, in
itiative and tolerance. It is pre
dicted that in the next 20 to 30
years, community values will un
dergo even more changes as today's
teenagers become parents.
In a recent survey of American
high school seniors, the two top
concerns of the future were money
and staying healthy (more specifi
cally, paying for education and not
contracting AIDS). Today's teen
agers also expressed many concerns
about the welfare of the country,
citing drugs, the possibility of
nuclear war and the destruction of
the environment as posing serious
threats in the future. No doubt
these concerns will have a signifi
cant effect on the values that are
held by the community and passed
on to the next generation.
or wax. Cover tightly and leave
overnight. The cloth will absorb
just enough oil or wax to dust and
polish at the same time. (On waxef '
furniture surfaces, use cloti :reat?4
with wax. Oil will soften wax.)
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