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The Herald

and The

Lantern

Wednesday, March 11.1*81

Health Decisions Demand Involvement

Following only 234 patient referrals in its 2% year existence, the County Arthritis Clinic was shut down last January and shortly thereafter a controversy arose via a scathinc letter from the president of the county osteopathic medical society in which, physician John Napolean blasted the clinic concept as an unnecessary waste of lax dollars. AS the controversy gained momentum, Louis Lamanna, the county's, public health coordinator, responded to Dr. Napolean’s accusations point by point. Later still, another osteopath. Dr. Robert Furey, told the Coordinaimg Council of Senior Citizens that Napolean’s views were his own and didn’t represent the medical society’s; and, further, that Dr Edward Hoffman, the Atlantic County rheumatologist who had been the clinic director. was an excellent physician. Dr. Furey’s

indication was that Dr. Napolean’s Allegations of substandard service might Have a bad reflection upon Dr. Hoffman. And this week, County Freeholder Jerry Thornton; who is the freeholder in charge of health for the county, also praised Dr. Hoffman as an excellent physician. And the freeholder indicated the need for the clinic had been established. BEFORE THE CONTROVERSY festers, we should like to suggest that reason be substituted for emotion, and that the various parties involved sit down together’in an attempt to resolve this issue for the betterment of the citizens and visitors in Cape May tyOne would have to assume that given the high percentage of elderly on the Jersey Cape, there are a great many arthritics. While it is a fact that arthritis strikes all ages and that

British Seagull 387 The Great Food Watch

by Ima Byrd I knew it had to happen sooner or later. I mean just look at all the human influences birds have to face. We’ve kind of been forced into their society... so to chirp. And now the birds are even having meetings of their own. They just can’t contain their excitement as they meet at shopping centers, highways and over at milepost & on the Garden State Pkwy. They've been waiting a long time for something good to happen and now it seems as if their prayers have been answered. The idea of a fishery in the county when food for birds is so scarce has their mouths watering. •1 TELL YOU. SAID BIG GULL from Cape May Harbor, "the fishery must be located at the Cape.’’ A wild cheer and flutter of wings followed his statement. "And I tef) you," said Little Gull from Richardson's Sound, "the fishery will be in Middle Township.” Another wild cheer and flutter. Smart Gull just watched. Then he tried to get a few v^ords of wisdom in the conversation. ’’Cape May is the only place they have deep water," he said softly. "My Great Uncle Lou told me those bunker steamers used to get stuck in the mu(f coming into the Richardson Sound area when the menhaden plant was in operation. And then there's the drawbridges. How many times will they go up and down?” Smart whispered. "Uncle Lou said that the menhaden plant used to be a multimillion dollar business, but after a time boats couldn’t get in there." ,

"KEEP QUIET!" YELLED BIG. "We’re not interested in that aspect of the fishery. What we’r««xcited about is the food, bird, the food I. Just think of all tiBt leftover stuff after the fish is processed. What a feast for the birds!" At that the crowd went wild as the assorted wings shreiked... "food!... food!” "I don’t want to be a Damper Dan,” said Smart, "but you birds should know the facts before you go off your wing. It so happens that there are all kinds of laws today and there will be no dumping of fish parts in the waters or on the land. It will be buried before you can get,off your perch," he said wisely. THE BIRDS SEEMED STUNNED and for a while all their hopes were dashed. "Perhaps we should cali off the food watch," said Big. y Then, SnMk Bird spoke up. "You birds are forgetting one thing. This isn’t going to be a factory boat from/Japan, Germany or Russia where they don’t waste anything. This is going to be fishery in the good old United States. Now what are the two things Americans do the best?” Sneak asked. The birds thought for a second and then they smiled and lifted their hungry bellies skyward... “Waste ... pollute ... waste ... pollute!" they shouted gleefully. "The food watch is on again, bring on the fisheries," said Big. NEXT WEEK: Beach Tags for Birds?

there are children who suffer from arthritis — it'seems obvious that there must be thousands of sufferers counting senior citizens only. It is, in fact, estimated that there are 15,000 such sufferers on the Jersey Cape. A RECENT NEWS RELEASE from Burdette Tomlin Hospital noted that the county’s only hospital has a newly established Division of Rheumatology. If this is the case, could it be that Dr. Napolean was correct when he said the county arthritis clinic represented a duplication of facilities already in existence? Can the hospital’s rheumatology divison provide low cost diagnosis (the county clinic's average cost was less than 538 per patient) ? Are there in<ounty physicians who specialize in the treatment of arthritis? Is it true, as some have charged, that the county clinic was under-utilized because (a) it wasn't adequately publicized; and (b) physicians refused to make the necessary referrals? Obviously there are many questions that need to be answered before an itelligent decision can be rendered on the future of arthritis diagnosis and treatment in Cape May County. Admittedly, as laymen we are not qualified to make a professional judgment as to the adequacy or medical services available to arthritics in Cape May County. WE DO KNOW, HOWEVER, from years of experience in reporting on the Jersey Cape scene, that there is a track record in this area of paying more attention to attracting people here than to! the adequacy of needed services for a growing population. We nave witnessed enough mishmash over the years when it comes to planning in general to conclude that the planning of such specific services as medical care leaves room for improvement. This is not a blanket indictment. It is a call for consumers, physicians and politicians to sit down together with a goal of resolving differences of opinion. Afterall, it’s one thing to allow traffic congestion to occur because of inadequate planning and quite another to permit even the hint of insufficient medical care because either the game plan is missing or all the players aren’t aware of its existence. The Herald

reader \ lot urn

Utters to the editor

Why Section Of Beach Was Left Unfenced

By Yvonne 8. Ballenger This is in answer to Genit J.W. Heyneker’s letter of Feb. 18, in the Herald. As chairman of the Avalon Environmental Commission since the spring of 1978, and involved with the commission since 1970, as secretary and member, of the then Conservation Commission, I would firlt like to extend to Mr. Heyneker and any resident of the Borough of Avalon, a cordial invitation to attend our monthly meeting, held at 7:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month. Since we seldom have any taxpayer attending our meetings (except, now, a councilwoman.) we would deem it a pleasure to see even a few interested persons, to inquire into our activities and ask questions; or like Mr. Heyneker. ask if we deserve praise for being the "Model pf the Coast of New Jersey". We have now started working on our fourth 50/50 Funding Issue request since I have been chairman. EARLY LAST year (1900), the Year of the Coast, when we began working on our third 50/50 Funding (which incidentally, has now been granted to us) the devastating fall storm, and more specifically the high tides of winter

CAPE MAY 11 i 4 X. ^fUraln PuMkhHl Kvfry Wrta^hy |U PO Bm* The S»»w»vf forp«r»U»«Avi^NJgMM John II. Andnu II | Editor William J. Adams Advertising Director Bonnie Reina General Manager D.nTllK0(>p , Publisher DEADLINES New. & Phot®. Thnnday Advertlslag Frid«y - 3 p.m. CUnllled AdvertUing Mowdat-Neon I >17-3312 For New. Or AdverUtlng Infwm.Uoii I NaNktr Mi miter* Mr the MhUtber* of the HERALD AND LANTERN Rill be retpMtlbie or UtWlor initta for motion, mhptinu. tyfofrtphletl error*, etc.. In any tune. TV tOMar fetor*r* the right to edit any letter or arlkleo tnbmHIoA for pnbUraLANTERN 1% PaMtaheR Evory WMneoetiy By P.O. Boi M TV Beow*re Corporation VlMat, NJ. Rtat

and early spring, had wrecked that section of the beach from approximately 9th to 13th or 14th streets. The force of the high tides had carried away great chunks of dunes and damaged the pipeline at 11th Street. Now, we cannot, with an accuracy, gauge what the ocean will next destroy. But what we did know in early I960 was that the mean high tide at that portion of the beach was not, 100 feet from the damaged portion of the dunes. In point of fact it was much closer to the dunes. In seeking 50/50 funding one federal rule is that no fencing or dune grass must be closer to the mean high tide than 100 feet. Therefore we could not'include that portion of the beach (9th to 14th) in our bid for funding for 1980. WE HAD TO RELY on pumping sand into that section of the beach from dredging that was scheduled. A bonus that we then did not know of was that Stone Harbor would gift us with many loads of sand. Before I go on, I would like to say that one reason for the results of the high tide at that portion of the beach was that after the 1962 storm reclamation of the damage at that point was pursued. There was dumped into that section rubble of gravel, sand and huge boulders, rocks, macadam and the like, in an effort to keep the oceanat bay. It has since been learned, and we at the Environmental Commission have pointed out for years, that the reclamation should be sand, not rubble, because the force of the ocean coming against these obstructions, like huge

boulders, creates more force, and so carries away more sand, along with portions of the dimes. Also, when planting dune grass on this type of rubble, covered with sand, the roots of the dune grass cannot penetrate through the rubble to hold the sand together. Given pure sand the roots of the dune grass go down about three feet, holding all together compactly and securely against ocean devastation. BUT PUTTING FENCING at that point at that time would have been utterly futile and a waste. Building up was the order of the day, and this was done to the best of the Borough’s ability. Therefore, that section of the beach had to be bypassed as far as funding was planned. The plans for the year 1981 are only now beginning, and are far from finalized. The Avalon Environmental Commission has scanned the beach, and will do so several times, before the plans’,can be ready, and conform to the standards allowed. May we therefore say again that as dedicated taxpayers, serving the borough, the Avalon Environmental Commission extends a welcome to all interested, to come to our meetings, so that you may be informed about our work. Yvonne S. Ballenger Is chairman and secretary of,the Avalon Environmental Commission. Editor’s Note: Heyneker’s address was Incorrect as printed. He is an Avalon resident.

By KIRK HASTINGS

SURE. GO AHEAD.

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING.

DO YOU MIND IF I INTERVIEW YOU ON THE DAY’S NEWS?

DO YOU WANT TO

TAKE NOTES?