The Harper Herald (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 2, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 14, 1997 Page: 3 of 6
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Modelle's Hints
Page 3 The Harper Herald January 14,1997
by "Aunt ModeJIe" Parker
Bites Cause Unnecessary Panic
The thought of being bitten by a snake strikes fear into many a
heart. But misconceptions about snakes cause unnecessary panic
and needless injury for many, according to John P. Murphy,
Emergency Medical Sendees coordinator at the Texas Department
of Health.
"Snakes," says Murphy, " are not particularly agressivem with the
exception of the cottonmouth moccasin. Most will strike a human
only when surprised, cornered, or when a werpent occasionally
mistakes a human for food."
Texas leads the nations in poisonous snakebite incidents with
nearly 1,500 annually, but deaths are rare. The Bureau of Vital
Statistics at the Texas Department of Health reports only six deaths
for the last five-year report period. No deaths were reported for the
last recorded year, 1976. Casualties nowadays are usually small
children or those who get very large doses of venom and no first
aide or treatment.
Texas has four main poisonous snakes: the rattlesnake (which
accounts for nearly 80 percent of all bites), the copperhead, the
cottonmouth or water moccasin, and the coral snake. The first three
are pit vipers. That is, they have large, hollow, moveable fangs and
hold venom in pits near their eyes.
The coral snake has several small, stationary teeth. It bites with a
chewing motion and seldom injets large quantities of its venom,
which is primarily nerotoxic. The coral snake resembles two
non-poisnous snakes: the scarlet king snake and the Mexican milk
snake. The red and yellow bands touch on the coral snake. On the
other two, the red and yellow are separated by black bands. An old
Scout saying goes, "Red and yellow kill a fellow; red and black,
venom lack."
"First aid and treatment methods are changing as we learn more
about snakebites," according to Dr. Raymond T. Moore, Deputy
Commissioner at the Texas Department of Health. Formerly,
everyone was taught to make incisions near the bite and suction out
the poison. We now believe that 20 to 30 percent of all snakebite
victims receive no venom. Ten percent of these are bitten by
non-poisonous snakes. The others may get no venom because the
snake has already exhausted its supply or because it elects not to
inject venom. Another 30 percent have venom injected too deeply
to be extracted from shallow crosscuts. Untrained persons have
inadvertently cut major arteries, nerves, or tendonw while cutting
and suctioning, thereby doing more permenent damage than the
snakebite. Since the cut-and-suction method benefits no more than
a third of all victims, few doctors consider the risks worth taking if
medical care can be obtained within a few hours of the bite.
What should you do if you're bitten by a poisonous snake? In all
cases, medical attention should be received just as soon as possible
after making an attempt to identify the snake.
First aid measures should include immobilizing the stricken area to
avoid speeding the circulation and the application of a wide
constricting band above and below the wound. It should be loose
enough to slide a finger under it easily. Cleanse the area thoroughly
with water, alcohol, or antiseptic solution, since some poison may
be present on the skin. Put an ice pack on the wound to retard the
effects of the venom. Use a chemical cold pack or even cold drink
cans if that's all you have. Don't spray ethyl chloride on the wound
or submerge it in ice water. Check periodically for frostbite.
Keep the victim calm and take the person promptly and safely to^
medical attention.
The physician will determine if antivenin is needed and may test
first to see if the victim is allergic to the antivenin, which is a serum *
made from horse serum.
Things to avoid is snakebite first aid include coffee, alcohol or
other stimulants, which will speed up circulation. And do not
cut-and-suction.
KID1! Pe/ler Oonte/t Promote/ Safely
Students between the ages of 12 and 15 can promote safety and
win prizes of up to $500 for themselves and their schools in
GEICO's 1996 Safety Belt Poster Contest.
The poster contest is open to public and private school students
who are ages 12 to 15 as of Sept. 1, 1996. The Theme myst
convey the importance of using safety belts. All entries must be
postmarked by Jan. 18, 1997. Each poster is placed in one of five
geographical regions and judged against other posters from that
region.
First, second, and third-place prices of $125, $75 and $50 are
awarded in each region. From the five regional first-place winners,
one grand-prize winner is chosen. That artist receives an additional
$375, and his or her school receives $500 worth of art supplies.
The grand-prize winner's poster will be reproduced and mailed to
all schools or participating students and will be displayed in GEICO
offices nationwide.
"We hope our contest will encourage young people and their
families and friends to buckle up," says GEICO Chairman Tony
Nicely. "Using your safety belt is the most important thing you can
do to improve your odds of safely surviving an accident. Through
this contest, we help spread the safety belt message and encourage
young people to develop the life-saving safety belt habit before they
become drivers."
A complete set of rules and an entry form can be found on
GEICO's home page, http//:www.GEICO.com. Or call
1-800-824-5404, ext. 2993.
Think This Car Isn't Worth Much?
Hoopsters fall to 9-10 Against Blanco Statewide Runaway Hotline Promotes
New Toll-Free Telephone Number
The Harper Longhorns suffered their tenth defeat of the regular
season against Blanco, 33-56. The Horns shot a disappointing 20%
from the field, while previously averageing 50%, but free-throw
percentage was 70% for the gam6. Ron Brown scored 15, shooting
5 for 6 from the foul line, followed by Greg Hill with 9, Travis
Whitewood with 6, Tres Masser with 2, and Stephen Roberts with 1.
Brown pulled down 9 rebounds, and also led in steals with 2. The
Longhorns will begin district play on January 21 against Nueces
Canyon. ' *
HARPER AREA HOST FAMIL IES NEEDED
FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Foreign high school students ere scheduled to arrive soon for
academic semester homestays, and the sponsoring organization
needs a few more local host families.
According to Pacific Intercultgral Exchange (P.I.E.) Executive
Director, John Doty, the students are all between the ages of 15 and
18 years, are English-speaking; have their own spending money,
carry accident and health insurance, and are anxious to share their
cultural experiences with their new American families. P.I.E. area
representatives match students with host families by finding
common interests and lifestyles through an informal in-home
meeting. Prospective host families are able to review student
applications and select the perfect match. As there are no "typical"
host families, P.I.E. can fit a student into just about any situation,
whether it be a single parent, a childless couple, a retired couple or
a large family.
Families who host for P.I.E. are also eligible to claim a $50.00 per
month charitable contribution deduction on their itemized tax returns
for each month they host a sponsored student.
For the upcoming programs, P.I.E. has students from Spain,
Denmark, Germany, Poland, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Argentina,
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia, and
many other countries. P.I.E. has also been invited to participate in
a special government -funded program to bring scholarship students
from the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union to
the United States. P.I.E. is a non-profit educational organization
that has sponsored more than 18,000 students from 40 countries
since its founding in 1975. The organization is designated by the
United States information Agency and is listed by the Council on
Standards for International Educational travel (CSIET), certifying
that the organization comples with the standards set forth in
CSIET's Standards for International Educational Travel Programs.
Doty encourages families to contact the program immediately, as it
will allow the proper time for the students and hosts to get to know
one another before they actually meet for the first time.
Harper area families interested in learning more about student
exchange or arranging for a meeting with a community
representative may call P.I.E., toll-free, at 1-800-631-1818* or via
the internet at http://www.pieusa.org. The agency also has
travel/study program opportunities available for American high
school students as well as possibilities for community volunteers to
assist and work with area host families, students and schools.
A statewide campaign was launched this week to promote the
Texas Runaway Hotline's new toll-free telephone number,
1 -888-580-HELP, according to Jay Smith, director of the hotline.
"The number of incoming calls from Texas has increased by more
than 175 percent during the past two years to an average 2,500
calls per month," Smith said. "We hope the new toll-free telephone
number will make our services even more accessible to runaways,
troubled youths and their families."
Smith said many youths contact the hotline during the holiday
season to find food, shelter or simply to hear a caring voice. The
holidays can be a lonely and depressing time for homeless youths
away from their families," he said.
Smith said youths also call the hotline to utilize the program's
confidential message relay service that is used to promote
communication between runaways and their families. Smith
identified the following message left by a 14 year old runaway
named "Amy" as a typical first message: "I'm safe. I want to know
if you want me to come home so we can work things out. I love
you." According to Smith, "Amy's" mother was overjoyed to hear
that her daughter was safe. Both mother and child were reunited
the following day.
"We hope our new toll-free telephone number will enable us to
assist many more Texas families with message relays and other
hotline services," Smith said. "During the upcoming winter months,
hotline staff and volunteers will work around the clock to keep as
many youths as possible safe and off the streets."
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
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Better Way lb Treat A Common Prostate Problem
(NAPS)—There is now a more
effective way to treat the symp-
toms of prostate enlargement,
according to an unprecedented
study in The New England
Journal of Medicine.
In many cases, doctors have
prescribed Proscar to treat the
condition. However, the study
shows there’s another drug that is
superior in symptom relief.
A Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Research Service
study found that Hytrin, manufac-
tured by Abbott Laboratories,
effectively treated the symptoms
of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or
BPH.
“Across the board, Hytrin was
superior to Proscar in symptom
relief," said Dr. Herbert Lepor,
chief investigator for the study.
BPH affects one in three men
over the age of 50. The symptoms
range from frequent nighttime
urination to complete obstruction
of urinary flow. In the past, men
have opted to correct the problem
surgically. However, this study
demonstrates certain men can
relieve the symptoms of BPH
using Hytrin, thus avoiding the
costly, and sometimes risky, sur-
gical procedure.
The drug works by relaxing the
Medication gives men with
BPH symptoms an alternative to
surgery._
sjnooth muscle of the prostate. In
contrast, Proscar reduces the size
of the gland itself. “The study con-
firms that not only is there no
need to shrink the prostate to
relieve symptoms of BPH, but also
that shrinking the gland may
have no significant effect on symp-
toms,” said Dr. Lepor.
The study, conducted over a
oqp year period involving 1,229
men, was funded and approved
by the Veterans Administration
Cooperative Studies Program,
Abbott Laboratories, and Merck
& Company, maker of Proscar.
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
SHERRY JUSTUS NAMED PUBLIC INFORMATION
OFFICER FOR LYNDON B, JOHNSON NATIONAL
HISTORICAL PARK
Park Ranger Sherry Justus has been named Public Information
Officer for Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Assuming
her new duties January 1, 1997, Justus wil be responsible for
promoting park activities, special educational interpretive programs,
and tourism to the park. Justus replaces the previous information
officer, Administrative Officer Reba Hyatt, who has assumed other
responsiblities in the park.
Justus has been with the National Park Service since June, 1989.
She began as a volunteer at Edison National Historic Site on
weekends while working at Paramount Pictures Corporation in New
York City.. When a full-time ranger job became available nine
months later, she applied and was hired as a temporary interpreter
at Edison. For the next four years, she worked in the interpretation
division there, achieving career status. In 1994, she transferred to
the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island National Monument with the
objective of learning resource protection in a park with extremely
high visitation. In April, 1995, she transferred to Lyndon B. Johnson
National Historical Park in Johnson City, Texas, accepting a
promotion to district ranger based at headquarters, a position she
holds today.
Prior to her park service career, she worked in the motion picture
industry in New York City for twelve years. She has gained varied
experience in both film distribution and exhibition, working for small
foreign film distributors and family-owned theater chains. The last
six years of her employment in the film business were at Paramount
Pictures' home office in Manhattan. She spent three years as an
advertising manager in the marketing division and them three years
in the sales division of Pravountis New York district.
Justus holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and
philosophy from Chatham College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a
master of fine arts degree in film from Columbia University.
Justus is developing a wide area of out-reach contacts and is
looking forward to working with the local communities, tourism
bureaus and news media. Please contact her for more information
or to be added to the park's special programs mailing list at Lyndon
B. Johnson National Historical Park, P.O. Box 329, Johnson City,
Tx. 78636 or telephone (210) 868-7128 ext. 236.
A
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Bishop, Karen. The Harper Herald (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 2, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 14, 1997, newspaper, January 14, 1997; Harper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1058177/m1/3/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Harper Library.