God's Grace and the Legionnaire Killer

To the Editors:

After discussing the "American Legion Disease" [Aug. 16] with a group of fellow microbiologists, I read with interest John Knowles' Essay on "The Struggle to Stay Healthy." Knowles states that 200 years ago "divine aid was considered more important than that of the physicians. Only through God's grace could one escape disease or survive its attack." With this country's leading epidemiologists stumped for weeks, it seems that little has changed.

James A. Poupard Philadelphia

The "disease detectives' " difficult task is vital for preventing spread and recurrence. It does not save the victims already struck, who died from lack of oxygen because their lungs filled up with fluid and blood. Many of these victims and others with similar problems do not receive the best modern medicine can offer because of our failure to organize health-care delivery.

A few strategically located hospitals can and should be equipped and staffed to provide around the clock the expensive, sophisticated oxygen-delivery systems that can sometimes support life until nature has healed basically reversible lung changes.

We still have antiquated practices coexisting side by side with sophisticated critical-care services. We need less politics and more common sense in the coordination and organization of emergency and critical-care medicine.

Peter Safar, M.D. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh

As a Legionnaire who attended the Pennsylvania American Legion convention and one who became sick and survived the "Philly Killer," I thought you should know that CDC, Atlanta, was first notified of the problem by Sidney N. Franklin, M.D., and Mary McLaughlin, public health nurse coordinator, who immediately "rang the gong" after my examination at the Veterans Administration Out-Patient Clinic, Philadelphia, on Monday, Aug. 2, at 8:25 a.m.

Robert H. Vogel Department Service Officer The American Legion Philadelphia

It amazes me, with all our technology, how crippled we can be at times.

John D. Radicone Jr. Deer Park, N. Y.

Warped Man

One would think that after Dachau, Auschwitz, Manson and the Gulag, the desire of man to kill, maim and torture [Aug. 16] would have been satisfied. Obviously not. The truth has displayed the most horrifying fact of our civilization. Man is still a prisoner of the warped instincts of his mind. No triumph of medicine, culture or knowledge can wipe out that reality.

Robert del Valle Troy, Mich.

I cannot understand how your article could conspicuously lack a tone of moral outrage. I also find appalling the suggestion that any U.S. effort to address this situation would be ineffectual and that our only alternative is resignation. We have economic leverage over large and small countries alike.

James D. Felske Quincy, Mass.

How can Mr. Ford have the nerve to veto a bill that takes a firm stand against torture? Perhaps if we withheld aid sent to torturing countries, we could afford some of the lofty proposals of the Democrats. Jerry, you blew it.

Deby Scharle Baltimore

You call Kissinger's position "sensible" on the ground that America's foreign policy cannot be based "on personal moral beliefs." I am surprised to learn that revulsion against hanging screaming human beings upside down while shocking and burning them is merely a personal moral belief.

Grant P. Thompson Washington, D.C.

I grew up in an America filled with hate and war and drugs and Watergate and CIA-FBI "investigations" and Rich ard Nixon free and James Hoffa free and Helter Skelter and Attica and riots and murder and rape and kidnaping . . . and I asked, "Dear God, what has happened to my country?" Last night I read the article on torture, and I thought, "Thank God I am an American."

Maureen E. Kelly Lexington, Mass.

Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the great humanitarians of the postwar era. Now--under his daughter Indira's guidance--anything goes, including brutality and torture. What a generation gap.

Richard Dechow Toronto

We need not be reminded that evil, demented people enjoy inflicting pain and suffering on others. Such exposures are tasteless to normal people and dangerous to others.

(Mrs.) Marilyn Walter Johnson Great Lakes, Ill.

Distasteful, distressing and terribly important.

Don Lebell Los Angeles

The American Jokers

The presidential contenders [Aug. 16]: all I and my fellow East Europeans can say is that it amazes me that there exists a political system that can consider bringing to power three characters who have more experience in riding horses, growing peanuts and committing bumbling acts than in foreign policy. That any one of these jokers can (and will) have unlimited power in the possible use of nuclear weapons terrifies us.

Branko Filipovic Belgrade

Dopey Drive

Re "Running Disney Walt's Way" [Aug. 16]: I was intrigued to learn there actually is a street called Dopey Drive. I suppose it would be asking too much to have a politician live on it.

John C. Sproul Rochester

Boycott, Girlcott

It is manifestly clear that in order to liberate language from all manner of sexist bias [Aug. 9], it should become mandatory that authors and journalists maneuver carefully through our manifold English vocabulary in every way necessary to free the written word from the menial menace of chauvinist prefixes and suffixes. Hopefully, the East Coast editorial establishment will respond to this manifesto, especially those who live and work in Manhattan. If they do not, the only alternative left open to the people is a nationwide personcott of the press.

Jeff Berner Mill Valley, Calif.

Hero, Villain

While Arab kills Arab in a never ending orgy of fratricide in what once was Lebanon, Israel opens her border and treats the sick and wounded, feeds the hungry and offers work to Lebanese Christians and Moslems alike [Aug. 16].

George Sauer South Orange, N.J.

Because "Palestinian blood is cheap," the press doesn't reveal that Israel is behind the blood spilled in Lebanon. It's Israel that exploited the delicate social structure; it's Israel that arms the rightists; it's Israel that would love to see the Palestinians become extinct.

Fred Nash Nisswa, Minn.

Not Square

Memo to the Million Dollar Chorus [Aug. 9]: Piccadilly Square doth hurt us Piccadilly 'tis our Circus, Know you not,you ignoramus, Times is wot the Square one's name is.

Jane Bennett Surbiton, England

Though rhyming is easy With Piccadilly Square You 'd sure as 'ell 'ave trouble, mate, In taking me there.

John C. Davis London

Brilliant but . . .

Your Essay on health [Aug. 9] is a brilliant appraisal in virtually every aspect save one: percentaging the causes of death annually in the U.S.

The doctor writes that 1.9% are due to diabetes. Because those with diabetes are 25 times more prone to blindness, 17 times more prone to kidney disease, five times more prone to gangrene, twice as prone to cardiovascular disease, etc., the National Commission on Diabetes reported to Congress on Dec. 10, 1975, that strong evidence indicates diabetes and its complications are responsible for more than 300,000 deaths annually, making it the third "ranking cause of death."

Leonard F. Elliott American Diabetes Association Inc. New York City

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