Herald & Lantern 23 February '83

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Health Watch by Dr Robert G Bellman

Visitors to

By M’ellen Howland In the first installment, four local residents had encountered rioting students, seen a variety of natural wonders, and marveled at Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca stronghold in Peru. On the 22-day South American tour were Father William Shelton, of St. Barn&bas Episcopal Church, and Fury Feracco, both of Villas, and Mr. and Mrs. Herman Kapp of Stone Harbor. FYom Machu Picchu the foursome of travelers from the Cape returned to Cuzco and flew in a Piper Club plane over the Nazcan plains, the dryest place in the world. That's why Maria rteiche, German mathematician £nd astronomer, feels that monumental drawings in the desert, covering about 200 square miles, and visible only from an altitude above 1,000 feet, have been so perfectly preserved. PART OF the group was privileged to meet the 70-year-old world famous scientist who has spent 30 years researching this area and is convinced that it’s a gigantic calendar created by the Nazcas in such perfect miles-long proportions and visible only from almost a mile above There are others who believe it could only have been constructed as a landing strip by visitors from outer space whose knowledge exceeds many things we have yet to learn In fact, they have found primitive drawings, including one that might have been made of our astronauts, which lend credence to their belief It's all mind boggling! ON TO SANTIAGO. Chile, to rest. It was clean, safe and the life-style leisurely. Restaurants open between 7 and 8 p.m for dinner Food was ex cellent but almost inedible because of t^ n excessive use of salt. Trices were reasonable and our tourists tasted wild boar for the first time. They described it as succulent and tender with a mild flavor Herman ar.d Ruth Kapp missed this meal to dine at one of the excellent Chinese restaurants which abound here, NEXT STOP was Buenos Aires, Argentina. 'B.A.," as residents generally call it, is probably the most European city on the conti nent. It has undergone a complete turnaround, economically, in the last six months. The economy is so depressed travelers come from all over to buy. One can now get designer clothes from Italy, France, N. America and all over at a fraction of their original cost. North Americans are resented because we sided with England in the Falklands crisis. THE COUNTRY, is

Rio Words

dominated by the Duarte family: To vote against them, if anyone had the temerity to oppose them at the polls, is to court financial disaster. Our group went to the Duarte family mausoleum, which has glass doors, and asked "Which casket is Evita’s?” , "You are standing on her grave," was the reply. She was considered a prostitute and still is by many Seems Evita’s charm so eluded the Duarte's, they dug up the sidewalk in front of the crypt and covered it with concrete so the grave could not be robbed. FROM B.A. THEY prot ceeded to Montevideo, Uraguay, a glorious resort city with quaint, clean houses. There Was nothing much to see, but it was relaxing.and pleasant, with a Palm Beach, Fla. atmosphere More of a Spanish life style here too. Restaurants didn’t open before 7 or 8:30 p.m. On to Paraguary, which proved a marked contrast. Guns, everywhere you looked — more guns. It is falling apart politically Our compatriots feel there is no possibility of stopping Communism here. The government discourages visits from the clergy, or qny other intellectuals. COMMUNISM IS quietly fighting the Stroessner family dictatorship. The Stroessner daughter is married to the Commander and Chief of the Army and her family owns the hotel in which the foursome stayed and its adjacent casino. During the night they heard gunfire but were afraid to look out because ".potlights played constant ly on their windows while the shodting continued. IT IS A one-party coun try If another group started up and someone had the temerity to vote for it. he or she would im mediately become unable to find employment and be prevented from leaving the country. Ruth Kapp said that after half an hour, she thought. "I don't like this. I want to get out . " ABOUT IQUASSO Falls, Father Shelton said, "Eleanor Roosevelt said it beautifully when she remarked: - Iquasso Falls makes Niagara Falls look like a kitchen faucet.’ It's that big." The falls com prising 275 ^cataracts, can be heard, during the rainy season, (or five miles. Rio de Janeiro itself evoked varied reactions among the four. From Ruth Kapp's evaluation, "It’s the most beautiful city I've ever seen.'' To Fury Feraco, "It’s horrible, full of thieves." ON THE WAY to famous Copacabana Beach he passed three signs cautioning people to take nothing to the beach but a towel The fourth sign says "Final

of Caution

Warning.” Sao Paolo, the industrial part of the city, grows while you watch, with a population increase of 150,000 yearly. The Sao Paulists are many third and fourth generation chauvinists who worked their way from 'steerage passage to mansions in the hills, now giving way to skyscrapers. THEY AI^O saw the 115-ft. statue of Christ the Redeemer, which weights more than 1,100 tons; Mosaic churches, panoramic views and welldressed, well-tanned, beautiful fun-loving people who had gems brought to their rooms in briefcases for their selection. In the past months Rio also has undergone a dramatic- ecohomic change, and people now come from all over to buy. Father Shelton emphasized that this is a trip for seasoned travelers, hard work rather than vacation, but so wonderfully well worth the effort. We have lived 63 years to see four things: Grandchildren, the Pyramids, Stonehenge and the Swiss Alps. We’ve achieved three objectives. Scratch the Alps If we evfer get to see the An<tes we’ll be ahead of our wildest dreams.

Although it is quite common in our culture to view and discuss the female sex organs, this is not ijie case with regard to men's sex ual organs One unfor tunate effect of this is the great lack of public awareness of the cancers which affect only men. Today we will discuss Cancer of the Testicle and a quick test you can do at home to detect it early This is the most common cancer in males, ages 20-35 It is ore of the most curable cancers, if it is detected early, and one of the most deadly. ir\it is not. Testicular career accounts for only 1 pencent of all cancer in males, but because it affects men dur ing me yparS when they hope R*y£tart a family, it assumes greater importance. The testicles are glands which produce sperm (as in the female, the ovaries produce eggs). Testicles also produce the male hormone testosterone, which makes us Idbk masculine — heavy facial hair, different muscular development, etc. The two testicles are shaped like eggs and they are encased by bags of skin called the "scrotum.” THE MAIN SYMPTOM of this edneer is a lump in the testicle. It appears to grow slowly and usually causes no pain. The testicle may also appear enlarged and feel different.

Sometimes there may be a dull ache in the lower ab domen and groin with a sensation of heaviness or dragging A problem in early detec tion is that even though the lump or enlargement may seem insignificant to you. testicular cancer can send cancer cells to other parts o f y 6 u^ body (metastasize), even While the lump is small. For this reasori, the simple home screening test thht follows is very important, particularly if you are in the high risk age group Three out of every four cases occur before men reach age 5° AN IMPORTANT risk factor for you to checkout is whether, as a child, both your testicles dropped down from inside your body into the sacs of skin (scrotum) which hold them. If the testicles never descended and had to be surgically dropped,N>c.'if they descended after your sixth birthday, then you are also at high risk for this type of cancer. Today, parents^ can help prevent this cancer by making sure that their infant sons are checked regularly by the family physician for normal descent of the

testicles. The testicle self exam is best performed when you have just stepped out of a warm shower. This is because the scrotal skin around the testicles is now warm and most relaxed Gently examine each testi cle with the fingers of both hands by rolling the testicle between your thumb and fingers to check for any hard lumps AS YOU CAN see, this self exam takes only a few short minutes It should be done once a month. If you think, you have a finding, repon it immediately to your family physician for evaluation As with most lumps, it could turn out to be nothing perhaps only a collection of fluid in small sacs (cysts), but if it is cancer, this early detection program may save your life For an illustrated booklet with more information on this topic, contact the American Cancer Society, 15 Delsea Dr. Rio Grande