Monday, May. 20, 1957

Capsules

P: For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. set out to learn how healthy its residents are. Using long questionnaires provided by the Public Health Service, Census Bureau interviewers in every state galluped from door to door asking questions about accidents and injuries, diseases and disabilities, hospitalization, medical and dental care. Operating on an initial $700,000 appropriation from Congress, the interviewers will gather data from 3,000 households a month until 330 areas across the U.S. have been sampled, then pass on the confidential information to P.H.S. Among those interested in the overdue data: physicians, hospitals, insurance firms.

P: For patients with high blood pressure, whether relatively stable or of the fast-progressing type, it is good to use a whole battery of drugs, reported the University of Washington's Drs. Fred T. Darvill Jr. and John L. Bakke. They gave reserpine first, then nerve-blocking drugs, hydralazine and veratrum compounds, finally phenoxybenzamine. Many patients whose pressure leveled off after three drugs went on to further improvement with a fourth or even a fifth drug.

P: Use of the mails to promote medical quackery is at the highest level in history, Postmaster General Arthur E. Summerfield reported. So far this year, postal inspectors have prepared cases against quack promoters who have been mulcting the public of at least $50 million a year. In the past twelve months, fraud orders issued to keep quacks from using the mails totaled 46, but, said Summerfield, "rather than attempt to defend the indefensible," 106 persons or firms agreed to quit the business that had been grossing them $225,000 a day. Commonest medical frauds: "dietless" reducing schemes, bust developers, and "sure cures" for cancer, arthritis, skin diseases, baldness, and "lost manhood." One of the Post Office's biggest troubles in bringing mail quacks to book: victims, who have foregone proper medical care, often die before the cases are tried. Next targets of the P.O. investigators: peddlers of mailorder, no-prescription "tranquilizers."

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