Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1963)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1963 MEOFOKD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFOKD, OREGON Nation's Largest Cities Preparing To Gamble on Rapid Transit Systems (EDITOR'S NOTE: The na tion's big citlei are becoming choked with traffic and civic planners believe rapid transit is the answer. The following dispatch is the first of a se ries of three reporting on what's in the future for city dwellers, how much it will cost, and how it will work.) By BARNEY SEIBERT United Press International The nation's dozen or so larg est cities are preparing to gam' ble $10 billion against the auto mobile in the next 17 years. The money will go for rapid transit facilities which the cit ies hope will lure the American commuter out from behind the steering wheel of his car and into a seat in a bus or subway coach. Stakes are high and the cities are at a disadvantage. For, while they are spending their $10 billion, three times that amount will be spent on urban freeway construction. But most big city planners feel the investment must be made. Unless the commuter can be lured back to public transport, the planners foresee cities meeting the fate of Los Angeles, where a third of the downtown area is given over to parking lots, expressways and streets. "A city and a region have to decide it tney want to save their central core," said John Bailey, who distributes Phila delphia's municipal subsidies to privately operated rail commut er lines. City planner C. W. Griffin Jr. of New York put it more blunt ly: "We should treat the commut ing motorist as a public nuis ance." Despite a 131 per cent popula tion gain in 20 years, depart ment store sales in downtown Los Angeles dropped 32 per cent in a 12-year period, Kaiser In dustries figures show. Downtown property values sagged and tax collections along with them. The Kaiser study found that despite Los Angeles' hundreds of miles of freeways the most elaborate such network in the world the traffic jam has be come a way of life. The sight of a driver in a stalled car shaving, reading a newspaper or dictating into a portable re cording machine while he waits a break in traffic has become common. For the urban complex of a million or more persons, many city planners say, rapid transit is the only answer. In the met ropolitan area of half a million, they believe, city fathers should begin now to plan right-of-way acquisition for rapid transit and to provide interim solutions such as express buses or limited tramways. The U.S. Census Bureau esti mates that within 30 years 43 American cities will have a pop ulation of a million or more and will, presumably, be facing these problems. Rapid transit is the mass movement of people on multi passenger vehicles along an ex clusive or "private" right-of-way. It most commonly implies use of rails (monorail or dual rail), as opposed to automotive, ferryboat or aircraft transport. Advantages Traffic engineers say rapid transit's chief advantage over the expressway is that one ve. hide occupying the same space as four to six private cars can carry up to 60 persons while the autos would carry nine. Studies show the average rush hour commuting auto has l.S persons inside. And rapid transit cars, mov- y) MAR. 22 keAPK. 2d l3y46.7M9-90 IMHtUS APR 21 "r?MAYJI .n ,q i in Itar gazer: Br CLAY R. POLLAN 3 OfMIHt MAY 22' U JUNE 22 ?T I.1M9.36I CAN CM JUNE 23 .JULY 23 to uo JULY Aud 2. 9.28-31 Your Dally Acfvly Gulfa X k.AH In ,fi Stan. To develop message for Friday, read words corresponding to numbers or your zodiac oirtn sign. SEPT. 23 OCT. 23 1.14-1158 U2-50-55 V .HGet 32 Away 33 Interview 34 Hopptneit 35 You 36By 37 Win 38 Condition 39 Will 40 PromlM 41 Worthwhile 71 ll voo jt, Aua 1 SEPT. 22 5.33.39.. 1 rw 2Sek 3 You 4Todol 3 An 6 Should 7 Aspects 8 Find 9 Congtnlol lOH.Ip IK..p 12 You're 13 On UAwoy 15 Keep )6Be 17 Ploni IB From 19 Tempted 20Chonflt 2101 22 Think 23 In 24 Th. 25 Before 26 Line 27 You 28 Company 29 Mind tluronunoie ,1"" Good (g)Adi 61 For 62 Certain 63 Luck 64 Ready 65 Letter 66 Have 67 Facte 68 A . 69 Side 70 Secret OCT. 24 Qii .25.27.52 T B4-62.65 J 43 And 43 With 44 For 45 From 46 In 47Thi 48 01 49 Your 50 Conflict 51 Some 52 Mall . 53 DrudQery 54 A 35 Today 36 Special 57 You . 58 Call 59 Maw 60 Money 77 Better 73 Likely 74 Friend. 75 Your 76MgMng 77Wllh 7801 79 You 80 Today 81 Great 82Weollh S3 Money 84 Affaire 85 About 66 Conduct 0.7 tUtvtnitlat 88 Limitations 89 Horn 90 Today SAGITTARIUS NOV. 23 DEC 22 H.17.M.M, U349-B7-B81 CAMKOKH 1 DEC 23 1 JAti2Cy ki.srvaj(9 l71-77-795uVsl AQUARIUS JAN. 21 l 20-21.J9-MS M7-72-73 mat FES. 20 r.2, 4- 7-1&3JVOI 37-41-74 (Si Farmer's Share of Consumer's Food Dollar to Drop WASHINGTON (UPI) -The Agriculture Department has pre dicted the farmer's share of the consumer's food dollar in 1964 will drop to 36 cents. This is down a penny from the first three quarters of 1963 and down two cents from 1962. The 36 cents will be the lowest farm share of the dollar spent at re tail for farm foods since the de pression days of the 1930s. In 1931, the farm share was 35 cents. It was 32 cents in 1932 and 1933, and rose to 34 cents in 1934. . The highest take of the consumer's food dollar was 54 cents In 1945. In a review of the marketing and transportation situation, the department said the marketing bill for getting the raw product off the farm and onto the check out counter at the food store probably will go up again next year. But the increase is ex pected to be smaller than in 1963. Marketing charges aver aged four per cent higher in the first nine months of 1963 than in the same period last year and double the average annual in crease during the past 10 years. Continue Ulslnir The agency said operating costs for food marketing likely will average a little higher next year than in 1963. Unit labor costs probably will continue ris ing. The department said strength in raw material prices may bring price Increases In some supplies and other goods bought by marketing firms, but the increases are not expected to be large. Unit transportation costs, except ocean freight rates, are not expected to rise and some decrease might occur. De preciation, state and local taxes, and some other costs probably will c o nt I n u e climbing, the agency said. Prices farmers receive for most major groups of food prod ucts in 1964 are not expected to change much from level this year except for wheat which will be lower than in 1963. Symptoms of Distress Arising from STOMACH ULCERS due to EXCESS ACID QUICK RELIEF OR NO COST - Over five million packiw of th WfLLARD TREATMENT have beeniold for relief ol tymptorm of rlistrm arinnf from tomach ind DuMknal Utwrtdua to It cm Acid Poor Dlttlft. touror Uptat Stomach, Oiulntta. Heartburn, SlaM laitnm, tie, due to Eicon Acid. Ask Tot "Wliiard'i Mhiih" which fully eiplatni tiut home treatment. fraa t BIG 'Y" PHARMACY CENTRAL DRUG PAYLESS DRUG WAINSCOTT'S PHARMACY WESTERN THRIFT STORE Phoonts: PHOENIX PHARMACY Open House Held ! At Phoenix High PHOENIX - Attending the open house at Phoenix High School recently were almost 200 persons. Following inspection of class rooms, parents were Invited to the Home Economics room where refreshments were serv ed. Coffee, punch and cookies were served. A short program featuring the chorus was held In the gymna sium. The choral group sang several selections, Including "Fifty Nifty United States," "The Sound of Music" and "I'm Sitting on Top of the World." Also performing were the girls who make up Triple Trio, the singing group at Phoenix. The girls sang "Moon River." - Directing the chorus and Trip le Trio was Gary Monical, head of the music department at Phoenix. ing along an exclusive right-of- way of their own at precise, controlled intervals, create no traffic jams. That may be the reason rapid transit expansion plans in such cities as New York, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, Philadel phia and San Francisco have met surprisingly little resist ance from automotive interests so long as funds for highways aren't tapped. Standard Oil Co. of California said in one of its publications, "Rapid transit might tempor arily reduce our company's sales of petroleum products . . . but in the long run the com- Sany's prosperity is tied to the eaithy growth of the communi ties we serve. Rapid transit should contribute to this growth." The American Automobile As sociation said in a policy state ment it recognizes the "desir- BEEFLAND FARGO, N.D. (UPI) - The big surplus beef producing areas in the United Stales are the North Central and Great Plains, where 51 per cent of fed beef is produced, according to North Dakota State University. The states are Iowa, Minnesota. North and South Dakota, Mis souri, Nebraska, Kansas, Okla homa and Texas. ability of adequate public trans portation systems." The Automobile Manufactur ers Association told the House Public Works Committee that rapid transit provides important peak hour service to downtown areas in large cities and urban freeway system requirements are relatively independent of transit to the downtown area. The Highway Users Confer ence, like the AAA, has no ob jection to rail rapid transit but opposed diversion of highway funds to construct such facili ties. Boston's Jenny Oil Co. bought advertisements to further the cause of rapid transit in Mas sachusetts. In 1906 a horse-drawn car riage could average 8 miles an hour through the streets of New York. In 1963 the average speed of a car through the . streets of New York is 6 miles an hour, traffic engineers have found. New York has the nation's most sophisticated rapid transit system. Without it, the engi neers say, traffic might come to a complete halt in the city. Chicago's annual $838 million commuting bill could be cut by $205 million if one of three per sons who drive to work could be induced to ride mass transit systems, according to an esti mate of the city's First Federal Savings and Loan Association. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Wash ington are facing serious com muter problems and are draft ing plans for their first rapid transit systems. New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Cleveland the only U.S. cities presently operating rapid transit systems have mapped major expansion of existing facilities. . . But recognizing the need for rapid transit is only a first step. Money must be found to build it, and the commuter induced to use it. Needs Subsidy Gene R. Schaefer, director of the WABCO Mass Transit Cen ter, an, information library on rapid transit at Pittsburgh, said "No major system may be fi nanced out of the fare box alone. It must have a certain degree of subsidy. "The return is not great enough to interest private en terprise. One by one, the major systems operating without some type of subsidy are going un der." , Walter J. McCarter, president of the Institute for Rapid Tran sit, Chicago, said government officials in Washington must provide the stimulation "to get people to vote to pay for rapid transit." ... Making rapid transit popular could be a greater problem than financing. A survey of one Chicago sub urb showed 'that to entice auto commuters to leave their cars at home you would have to pay them 55 cents a day, even though it was costing them about 3'A times as much to drive as to ride a bus and twice as much as to take the train. - However, planners noted that the same study showed that to be attractive to auto commuters, rapid transit would have to pro vide (1) greater convenience, (2) greater economy, (3) great er speed. If any two of the three factors were present the auto commuters said they would give up driving to work. The planners also cite a De troit test of better service un der a federal experimental sub sidy which brought a 17 per cent increase in bus use. A sim ilar test at Boston, Mass., in volving better service and low er rates drew a 25 per cent in crease in commuter train use. i First Transits Rapid transit began in 1863 when London built a 3.5-mile subway to connect three of its railway stations. Work began in 1898 on New York's first sub way, the 76-mile Lexington Ave nue line, which is still in use. The same year the French gov ernment began planning the first five lines of Paris' Metro. There are Rapid Transit systems in operation on all the world's in habited continents. - The most modern rapid tran sit system in the world is the semi-automated subway under Stockholm, Sweden. However, the Stockholm sub way will be outdated by San Francisco's $792 million, fully automated rapid transit system, unon which work will begin this year. A new system also is un-, der construction at Montreal,, Que., and Toronto, Ont., is adK ing to its system. Most of the world's rapid, transit systems and all but one. of those in the U.S. (Cleveland's)" are integrated networks using, subways in congested area, ele- vated lines through outlying, areas and grade or below grade level routes through suburban, areas. There is a growing number of new-fangled variations. r A Texas department store is currently using a closed loop system to carry its customers; to and from its parking" lot." Among the cities with modern central distribution systems in' operation are Tacoma, Wash.,- which has moving sidewalks in its central business district, and' Dallas, Tex., with moving side walks at its airport. c . to 4.99 Your choice: Plaids, plains and checks In flannels, cottons- and synthetics. - v ; , - - Coordinated colors for the living room or bedroom. Plush cover is kapok filled. 4-Pieco Plastic Canister Sefi Sears Price Easy to clean rounded corners, snug fitting covers. 6V to 834 in. high. 4 colors. Comes In Pink, Turq., Yellow and White. Matching Bread Box, $3.99 Matching Cake Keeper ....$2.98 & . Trading Stamps Given By Car Rental Firm JEW YORK (UPI)-You now can get trading stamps when you rent a car. - A car rental system (Nation al) was among the record num ber of 8,600 new outlets which began distributing its Green Stamps in the three months ended Sept. 30, says the Sperry and Hutchinson Company. The others included motels, dry cleaners, building supply dealers, feed stores and flower shops. WORKING FOR UNCLE NEW YORK (UPD-Mutual Radio's November newsletter says a corporation in the 52 per cent tax bracket has to work until July 9th each year just to pay th government. Editorially, it added: "As a patriotic ges ture we suggest that Congress set this date back to July 3rd. Thus, July 4th, Independence Day, would have a richer mean ing all the way around." MEDFORO MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFOKD, OREGON Carthaginian City Ruins Uncovered on Shrub-Covered Hill THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, IMS By ERNEST SAKLER United Press International MT. SIRAI, Sardinia (UPI) The ruins of a Carthaginian city and bones of children slaughtered to assuage cruel gods have emerged from 25 cen turies of oblivion on a shrub covered hill of Sardinia. Archeologists have no idea what the city was named in the ancient days when Carthage ruled the waves. It may remain known forever simplyy as "The City on Mount Sirai." But the facts it has revealed about the Carthaginian settlers of this island are fascinating. Merchants from Carthage the proud Phoenician settlement near the present-day Tunis had established a network of military and trade stations all over the western Mediterranean when Rome was still young. Sardinia was under their rule until the Romans wrested it from them in 238 B.C., shortly after the first Punic war. But the lone Carthaginian rule as that of the Romans, had left very little archeological trace in Sardina. Only Statuettes About all there had been in the way of Carthaginian relics until now were crude statuettes of Phoenician gods and goddes ses found in sparse burial plac es. The discovery of the city on Mount. Sirai, archeologist Saba tino Moscati reported in the Rome newspaper II Messaggero came by chance. The site, a pink stone hill covered with shrubs and overlooking Sardin ia's west coast, had for centur ies been a lonely pasture. During World War II, a small Italian artillery unit was sent there to set up an anti-aircraft battery. The soldiers actually discov ered the city but never realized it. While digging an ammunition dump, they came across huge underground chambers and just decided that this saved them the trouble of digging any more. They dumped the ammu nition there, removed it at the end of the war and forgot all about it. The real discovery was the work of a bright local boy who Court Records DISTRICT COURT Jack Taylor Reader, violation of basic rule. $10. Charles Meredith McHeru-y, no tail lleht. J10. Grlffen Edward Ownby, no fixed load license. $5. John Edward Royer, truck apeeding, $10. Stephen Lee Clark, failure to yield right-of-way, $15. . Robert Hamilton Fenrre, truck speeding, $10. Bobble Lee McFarland, no oper ators license, $5. Marvin Lloyd Bowden, truck apeeding, $10. Eugene Howard Vincent, im proper left turn, $15. Joan Marilyn Mayfield, violation of basic .rule, $15. William Orved Bryon, violation of basic rule, $20. Ronald James Stockman, no rear view mirror, $5. climbed the hill looking for mushrooms and came back with a crude statuette of the Cartha ginian goddess Tanit. The boy's employer went to the site, took pictures and informed the su perintendency of antiquities in Cagliari. Impressive Results Moscati said that although ex cavations are still in the early stage, results have been impres sive. Finds include the outer walls of the settlement, resting on the pink-streaked rock, an L-shaped building whose use is unknown, and numerous tombs. But the most thrilling and ma cabre find was the city's shrine with its traces of human sacri fices. Built on top of a monumental flight of stairs, the shrine in cludes an ante-room, a large hall and an inner sanctum with a stele (pillar) which may have been the local idol. On one side of the shrine is a fireplace filled with ashes and with bones and teeth of chil drenundoubtedly sacrificed 'to the gods of Carthage. All around the shrine are lit tle urns with ashes of children -presumably more victims surrounding steles of the god dess Tanit. Moscati said some of the sta tuettes found here are definite ly Sardinian in style despite their Carthaginian subjects, in dicating a merger of the two cultures. This, he said, would explain the known fact that the Sardinians sided with Carthage in resisting the invasion of the Roman strangers. NAME SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) -San Francisco's first assistant U.S. Attorney of Chinese des cent is Zeppelin W. Wong, so named because he was born on the day in 1928 when the dirigi ble Graf Zeppelin passed over the city. .. . LUMBER PROGRESS WASHINGTON (UPI) - The lumber industry has evolved new experimental sizing and quality standards that could en able home builders to save $100 million a year, the National Lumber Manufacturers Associa tion says. Three experimental houses built of lumber specially made to meet the new specifi cations will be erected at the New York World's Fair. TEEN-AGE WEALTH NEW YORK (UPI)-The to tal annual income of U.S. teen agers exceeds $10 billion, al most all of which is spent, ac cording to an article in Sales Marketing Today magazine. The survey also noted that teen-age boys get only 22 per cent of their-income from allowances and gifts while the girls get 40 per cent of their income from the same sources. No More at Sears f?) . lSn You Can Count on Us ... Quality Cost-i IJS S , 75 e ... I fruits, nuts. Topping ot - . jSMWMWttwiiM., "G- ' V-MiiiSisiSM&i&M ...u.mmm - . . . . , " 0 " - '!' Ong SlwJd Covered Pillowi 4"'t V" ' Craftsman 12-inch, 12-HP "Ki "f .OG Kenmore "600" Model Reversible Drills ' 'OfiCBI fiUM i Portable Dishwasher 2 V I A rUK Save $10 JMJ"" HI ' 0u, a rTf f fammS VL 7 -i Kenmore Aluminum Regular $199.95. II If II I I 3 DDMf SAILIE SPECIAL OPENING TONIGHT-THURSDAY Monday and Friday 'til 9 P.M. Savings for the entire family SHOP AT SEARS AND SAVE King Alfred Daffodils Bulbs for Spring Color MIXED NARCISSUS 12 for 29e Our most popular daffodil. Blooms in early spring and grows 8 to 10 inches tall. Flower has lovely large Lemon Yellow cups and petals. Two or more handsome blooms from each bulb. WHILE THEY LAST1 Save $10 Takes bits up. to '?-in. diameter. Has ball thrust bearing on spindle. Spade-grip handle can be rotated 90 or removed for close quarter work. With 10-ft. 3-wire cord and 2-prong adaptor plug. Chrome 2-Slice Kenmore Toasters Silent thermostsat control. Select exact "shade" you want. Snap-out crumb tray. SAVE 2007 On Sears Recliner Night Un,il I Soft Glove VINYL RECUNERS Regularly 89.95 (S3) New luxury vinyl is backed with soft polyfoam for utmost comfort. Chair adjusts to lounging, TV viewing and full reclining positions. Smart modern design. Choice of colors. Special Carload Purchase Mattress and Box Spring Sale SAVE UP TO '45 - 1 3 DAYS ONLY Each Piece Twin or Full 3 DAYS ONLY Each Piece Twin Size In Sets 29) II 34 88 88 Full Size $36.88 3 DAYS ONLY Each Piece Twin Size In Sets. - 39) 88 Full Sixe .....$42.88 Charge It On SEARS Revolving Charge Account Maple Bunk Beds What a value. Set in cludes 2 polyurethane foam mattresses with bunkie pads, ladder and guard rail. Bunk bed is made of hard wood in rich maple. Kenmore Aluminum Electric Fry Pan Thermostatic heat control. Polished aluminum body heats quickly and evenly. Washes best by actual test jn our laboratoryl 2 wash cycles for normal or heavy soil. Exclusive 2-level wash action with revolving Roto-Rac and 140 rinse. Washes service for 12. Save up to $7.00 a pair on Floral Lined Draperies Check Sears Low Prices. . Slf 88 50" x 84" lol Regular $9.99 Kit Pr. Rsg. 13.98 7S"x84" NOW 11.lt Rea. 22.99 100"x84" NOW 17.88 Rag. 22.99 12J"84" NOW 24.18 Reg. 34.99 150"x84" NOW 27.88 SAVE $90OG On Regular $289.95 Kenmore CONSOLE ZIG-ZAG 88 BEST! OUR 19)9; No Money Down on Sears Easy Payment Plan. No Trade-in Required.' No Payment Until February,, 1964 Women and Children SLIPPERS - 1 Beaded Moc Slipper ' $00 Rabbit Fur Cuff Plump padded sole and Beaded Moc Slipper . Charge It On SEARS Revolving Charge Account 1 1 I 'v " DLT" CEJAJfc Qffr tSHJIOIlilUto- s - . .... -- - - Console Stereo Phono FM-Stereo, AM-Radio Check Sears low price famous Silvertone 11119) 88 Plays stereo FM and stereo records. Wide-range sound from two 6-in., two 4-in. speakers. Fully automatic record changer plays all speeds, a types of records. Mahogany-finish. Silvertone Radios with 4-in. Speaker Gift Priced 10 Economical choice for home or office. 3 lubes plus rec tifier. Beige plastic cabinet. Shop at Sears and Save Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back At irrft Tw0 Keyboard Check Sean low H ft Ol erica. Walnut fi . ill . K-Jr - I veneer cabinet M Iorows with M buttons plus k II board, 32 on J I sion pedal. 2ij ! 1 88 jr musical skills. Mas 18 chord full-size keys, 37 on top key ver. Electronic amplifier. Expres ses. ' Our Lowest Price i1 Monaural Phonos Plays all standard, sleree records monaurally. 4-in. speaker. Red and white leatherette. , y . t .v5iwr . - ;. Our Lowest Priced Home Entertainment Centers 3359) 88 On Sale Check Seart low price. 4-speaker sound syttem Silvertone console cabinet with 23-in. overall diagonal TV (282-sq. in. viewing area). Stereo 4-speed phonograph and FM-AM radio. Handsome mahogany finish cabinets. At Searsl Clock Radios with Pre-set On and Off Gift Priced 19 88 lulls you to sleep with fine music, wakes you In morn ing. Buzzer sounds in 10 minutes. 501 E. Jackson 773-6661 Monday and Friday 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Tues.i Wed., Thurs., Sat. 9:30 i.m.-5:30 p.m. SH HOLDS FOR CHRISTMAS Cuddly and Lif e-Like! 22-inch Baby Dolls I88 Check Sears low price Sweet baby voice Regular $9.29 So real-looking, light and cuddlyl Soft, chubby arms and legs, whispy baby-like rooted hair, sleepy Glassene eyes. Plastic panties, booties. Your choice of one of the dainty outfits shown. 1 Tammy Doll 8 Sears Price Reg. 2.88 Tammv Is a dool. She stands 1 2 in. high. Created In the Image of todays teenager from the top of her heir to tha tip of her toes. Rugged 1 2-inch Pick-Up Trucks Sears Price 8 Reg. 2.77 Tailgate opens and closes. Sharply detailed features. Boasts a sturdy staal body. Road-Race Outfit with Asphalt Track Two Indianapolis-type cars with 6-volt power pack. 2 rheostats for controlling speed. Six cross-over supports, vinyl fence, decal set. Sale Price nil 88 Barbin's New Dream House by Mattel : ' ' 88 " Sears Price Reg. 6.97 Has show-case window, stage, display alcove cabinets, furnish ings and mannequin. Dive, Loop, Roll With Stunt Planes Start Price ya8 Reg. 9.27 Does all tha stunts In tha 'book." Super thrust hotshot kngine with starter. A 9 HOMECOMING QUEEN - Miss Judy Marzonie, 21, of La Can ada, reigns Tuesday as the homecoming queen at the Univer sity of California at Los Angeles where she was chosen over 23 other finalists. Judy, blonde and blue-eyed, stands 5 feet, The Medical Roundup By Etmrltiia cnnsulUnt In Medicine myo Clinic Emeritus I'roresaor ot Medlclm Myo Clinic (Retlater and Tribune Syndicate. 1083). , Really Low Blood Sugar Some 10 or IS years aeo I used to get scores of letters from people who said that their doctor, who was an enthusiastic believer in the existence of a mythical disease called "func tional hyperinsulimsm, had been treating them for some time with a crazy diet which was ust the reverse of what one should prescribe if the person tients I saw, and saw by the score, were those who had the phony hypoglycemia, or sup- , posed low blood sugar, which for several years was a very fash ionable disease. As I often say, we doctors al-. ways have to have a fashion able disease that remains popu lar for a few years. The main one today is diverticulosis, or me coming of tiny pouches on had that very rare disease a th. 4u. , . real low Wood sugar due to a wnlch for 50 years B docton; disregarded because usually it is not a disease, but like gray nair, sometmng narmiess that comes with age. Women Annoved In the past few years, some of the women who brought me in children with epilepsy were much annoyed with me because I did not BCCBDt their hnma doctor's diagnosis of convul sions due to a low blood sugar due to hyperlnsulinism. A while ago, Some Of the nnilrnlncicte nt the Mayo Clinic, hoping to find cases of convulsions caused by functional hyperinsulfnism, stu led 2500 patients who had what looked like epilepsy. They did not find a Sincta rasa In uiHi.k there was a low blood sugar! I Wish all Dhvsicians nhn cHM love to diagnose a functional hypoglycemia would read a re cent article by Drs. R. R. Ry. nearson, E. M. Lltin, and D. W. Mulder, of the Mavo Clinic in see how hard it is to find cases of this fashionable disease. The symptoms one must watch for are: u) spells of strange be havior, or what the family calls "thunderstorms" in which the . person seems goofy or becomes ornery, (2) these episodes come at those times when the person has gone without food for many hours, like overnight. (3) The patient and his relatives should have noted that the taking of looa always eitner prevented the episodes or quir'riy brought them to an end. T" case of doubt, one should try to throw tne person into an attack by having him fast for a day or two. One must measure his blood sugar, and one must dis regard low values unless they get down below 50 mgs.; and then one must be able to re lieve the symptoms quickly by giving the patient some syrup. cancer of the islet cells of the pancreas (the b 1 g digestive gland back of the stomach.) The Islet cells make the insulin which enables a young diabetic to stay well. -During the years in which I worked in the Mayo Clinic, I saw scores of people with a sup posed low blood sugar come in, saying that they had been treat ed without success for a hyper lnsulinism. They had come to the Clinic, hoping to get some relief. People Got Huffy Often these people got huffy when I told them, after talking to them for three minutes, that I knew they couldn't possibly have hyperlnsulinism; they just didn't have the symptoms of it. They didn't get their distress after they had fasted, perhaps overnight, and they didn't get any relief when they ate half a box of candy. Often they told me they could get relief with a tablet of aspirin, or a cup of black coffee, which couldn't pos sibly have helped them If their symptoms had been due to a very low blood sugar. Oftentimes these people brought with them the report of their blood sugar as estimated by a laboratory at home. Inci dentally, the last patient who brought me such a report came in a few days ago, His blood sugar reading was 128 mgs., definitely higher than normal. His medical advisor must sure ly have been an enthusiast for tne diagnosis of hyperlnsulinism to diagnose it in the face of such a report. In perhaps nine out of 10 of the cases I studied at the Mayo Clinic, our labora tories found a perfectly normal blood sugar reading. In the oth er few cases the reading was a little low, but obviously not low enough (under 50 mg.) to pro duce any symptoms. Actually, a few questions soon showed me that the woman with a supposed low sugar was hav ing mild attacks of migraine or just jittery spells due to nerv ousness. I happen to remember well the doctor who came to the Mayo Clinic, about 1927, suffer ing terribly from -a real hy perlnsulinism. His wife told me that at night she had to sit be side his bed so that, when in his sleep he began to twitch, she would take a medicine drop per and put syrup into his mouth. When he swallowed this, he soon would quiet down and stay quiet for an hour or two. As I remember, this was the firet reported case of a tumor of the Islets of Lancer- hans. When a surgeon removed this tumor, our chemists quickly analyzed the tissue and as we expected, found it full of Insulin. I am happy to say that the real hyperlnsulinism which is due to a tumor of part of the pancreas, Is so rare that I have never found a case in my private practice, or for that matter, in the huge practice I had during my many years at the Mayo Clinic. The only pa- Dr. Alvarez discusses some of the causes of shortness of breath and suggests some help ful ideas in his booklet, "Pul monory Emphysema." To ob tain your copy send 25 cents and a stamped, self-addressed enve lope with your request for the booklet to Dr. Walter C. Al varez, Dept. MMT, Box 957 Des Moines, Iowa 50304. INSURANCE FIRMS NEW YORK (UPI) - The number of life insurance firms in the United States has passed 1,500, but only one per cent of them do business in all 50 states, according to the In stitute of Life Insurance, which also notes that smaller life com panies have been growing fast er than many larger firms. IN THE 8TRETCH NEW YORK (UPI)-Stretch-able fabrics, already dominat ing the sports clothing industry, are beginning to make huge in roads into dress garments for both sexes and all ages. Many 1 of the fabrics are synthetic but some are made by processes that change the molecular structure of natural wool.