Intercom

Volume2/1984_March21INTERCOM Poison Control Center Stresses Poison Proofing This year, the Intermountain Regional Poison Control Center will respond to 40,000 poisonings, most of which involve children who have swallowed medications or household chemicals. During Poison Prevention Week, the center is reminding everyone to poison- proof the home. Poison- proofing the home will be the focus of a campaign by the Intermountain Regional Poison Control Center at University Medical Center during National Poison Prevention Week, March 18-24. "Children Act Fast . . . So Do Poisons," is the theme of poison prevention week. Experts at University Medical Center say a majority of accidental poisonings are preventable. " Being aware of potential hazards and taking steps to poison- proof the home are the keys to preventing poisonings," says Nancy Matyunas, Pharm.D., a clinical toxicology fellow. "Most accidental poisonings are caused by household chemicals and medications." Household chemicals and cleaning agents should be stored in properly labeled containers and kept out of the reach of children. " Placing chemicals in a drinking glass, pop bottle or other beverage container invites a poisoning," says Dr. Matyunas. "Also, if a poisonous substance from an improperly labeled container is swallowed, it may be difficult to determine exactly what the poison is. Finding out may take valuable time." "Don't underestimate the effects chemicals may have if they are spilled on skin, inhaled or ingested," she says. Of the 40,000 calls the Intermountain Regional Poison Control Center will receive this year, 30 to 35 percent of the cases will involve medications. "Often because of taste, color or shape, children may think medicine is candy," says Dr. Matyunas. "Medicines placed in a purse, on a bedside table, nightstand, vanity or other accessible area are an open invitation to a curious child." Child-resistant closures are a very effective deterrent to childhood poisonings, says Dr. Matyunas, but only if they are properly replaced on the containers. "Don't be lulled into a false sense of security, though," she warns, "child-resistant closures are not necessarily child proof, so always keep medication out of the reach of children." " ducating ourselves and young children about the danger of poisons in and around the home is, by far, the best way to prevent accidental poisonings," says Dr. Matyunas. University Medical Center would like to help. The Intermountain Regional Poison Control Center can provide audiovisual aids, educational pamphlets and ideas for poison prevention to individuals, schools, churches and civic groups. Call 581-7504 for more information. INTERCOM University of Utah Medical Center Intercom is published by the Office of Development and Community Relations, R. 2753. Article ideas and nominations for the employee of the month are welcome. Editor: Ken Johnson Ernst Eichwald Honored by Transplantation Society Ernst J. Eichwald, M.D., professor and former chairman of the department of pathology at University Medical Center, recently was honored by his colleagues in the Transplantation Society, who dedicated an issue of their journal to him. Dr. Eichwald's 70th birthday and 30th year as editor of the journal, Transplantation, prompted his fellow editors to designate the January, 1984 issue as the "Eichwald Festschrift." The editors wrote that the journal includes "articles dedicated to Eich (as he is known by his associates) with respect and affection by friends, protege's, and colleagues. . ." The journal contains several articles which focus on studies Dr. Eichwald reported in 1955. His research on the Y chromosome led to the recognition of its function in gen-der development of human embryos. "It had been known all along that males carry the X and Y chromosomes and females carry two X chromosomes," says Dr. Eichwald, "but our recognition of a distinct gene on the Y chromosome - the first one identified on this structure - led other investigators to an understanding of the mechanism of sex differentiation." More than half of the January Transplantation, dedicated to Dr. Eichwald, contains articles about this gene and its characteristics. Dr. Eichwald received his M.D. at the University of Freiburg, Germany, in 1938. He received a second Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Utah in 1953. He was a professor of microbiology at Montana State University, and is currently professor of surgery and pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He was chairman of University Medical Center's Department of Pathology from 1968-1979. Dr. Eichwald is a former chairman of the Tissue Transplantation Committee of the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council. He is former president of the Montana Pathological Society and the Montana Cancer Society. In an article entitled "Reminis-ences of Ernst Eichwald," in the January issue of Transplantation, Dr. Joseph E. Murray, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Children's Hospital, Boston, who transplanted the first human kidney, remembers the Utah physician's work as chairman of the Tissue Trans- Clinical Research Center Probes Mysteries Medical A cirrhosis study, the effects of caffeine on a fetus, the use of antiepileptic drugs in seizure disorders, growth hormone deficiency in children and other studies are being conducted by University Medical Center's Clinical Research Center. It is the only specialized patient care/research center in the Intermountain West. University Medical Center's Clinical Research Center (CRC) is one of approximately 80 patient care facilities throughout the country participating in the General Clinical Re-search Center Program of the Division of Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health. It also is affiliated with the Utah School of Medicine. The head nurse, clinical specialist and four research staff nurses maintain the highly-controlled environment of the CRC. They are responsible for providing quality patient care while observing, collecting, evaluating and recording important data and specimens; administering new medications; conducting specialized laboratory tests; determining nutritional plans; and many other aspects of the research. University Medical Center's CRC has been in operation for 17 years. It takes a broad view of its research possibilities, making its facilities available for studies conducted by any medical center staff member in any medical specialty. All research projects, procedures and drugs must be approved by the center's supervisory committee, consisting of 10 school of medicine faculty members including center director, Frank H. Tyler, M.D. The goal of the center as defined by the NIH is "to provide a careful, controlled environment, centered around patients, where physicians and scientists can define and attempt to explore and conquer unsolved disease problems affecting humans." plantation Committee. "Eich guided us for about 12 years," he says, "through a series of conferences on acquired immunological tolerance, x-ray-induced tolerance, experimental and human kidney transplantation, tissue typing, organ preservation, and the ethics of organ donation. The development of national standards for human organ donation was a direct outgrowth of one such conference." "Eich has been a central figure of practically every major organization activity in the field," Dr. Murray writes. "His influence permeates all of transplantation biology. It is impossible to trace all the ramifications of his work." Dr. Jerry Rothstein is Hallside Artist Dr. Jerry Rothstein The color photographs by Dr. Jerry Rothstein are on display through March in Medical Illustrations Hallside Gallery, room AC113. "I'm new at photography," says Dr. Rothstein, who began using a 35mm camera just two years ago. This is his first photographic exhibit. Dr. Rothstein is a professor in the Division of Hematology/ Oncology. Coed Soccer Sign-Up Soccer season is under way at University Medical Center, and all faculty and staff, and their spouses are eligible to play. Teams of 11 players (six men and five women) now can sign up with Laurie Moyer, ext. 6583, to participate in both spring and fall seasons. Competition will begin soon, so all teams should sign up immediately